Students Donate Ceramic Art To Organic Garden In East Village OUTDOOR ART. Students put the finishing touches on art that will be displayed at the Long Beach Organic Garden at East First Street and Elm Avenue. -Photo by Robin Bott By Shereen Oca Staff Writer Published: Monday, February 9, 2009 11:45 AM PST     An area art program for at-risk youth soon will donate several ceramic-tile mosaics to a community garden in need of such kinds of beautification.     This Saturday, Feb. 14, the students in artist Robin Bott's mosaic-mural class of the Long Beach Bar Foundation's (LBBF) ArtStart program will give five of their nature-inspired tile creations to the Long Beach Organic First and Elm garden at a dedication ceremony.     ArtStart is a six-week course in which students learn jewelry-making, painting and drawing, in addition to ceramics. It's an offshoot of SHORTSTOP, the LBBF's crime-intervention program that serves as an alternative to the juvenile justice system.     "We are trying to reduce risk factors during non-school hours by giving youth something productive to do now and in the future," said Carolyn Bell, executive director of the Long Beach Bar Foundation. "It's been really rewarding."

Since its inception last September, approximately 18 youth show up at the East Village Art District's Gallery Eleven/Seven for ArtStart every week. Bott - whose parents, Larry and Patricia Bott, own the gallery - works with the Los Angeles County Office of Education and the Angels Gate Cultural Center in San Pedro, among other agencies, teaching art to youth. Her involvement with ArtStart, she said, was just a natural extension of what she does now.     "It was a really neat experience," she said. "The kids not only helped design the murals, they also learned about the importance of public art and working together to create a beautiful piece of artwork."     The resulting works of art will be combined to create a mural wall at the Long Beach Organic First and Elm garden, right around the corner from Gallery Eleven/Seven. The earth-friendly group of gardeners seeks empty lots and transforms them into areas of productivity, growing organic vegetables, herbs, fruits and flowers - some of which is donated to an area nonprofit that provides food and clothing to needy families. Bell said she fell in love with the garden and felt compelled to help further beautify the space.     "We found a way to give back to the community," she said of the ceramic tile-mosaic donations. "I think kids will take pride in bringing their friends, saying I did that so that for years to come they will have something to look at and be proud of."     The dedication will begin at 4 p.m. at the First and Elm organic community garden in the East Village Arts District downtown during the Second Saturday Art Walk.     For details about the Second Saturday Art Walk, go to www.artwalklb.com.