photo by: Contributed photo

In this file photo from Nov. 1, 2017, members of the Lawrence Art Guild present a check at Free State High School to help public school art teachers buy art supplies and materials. Among those gathered for the presentation were members of the guild and Lawrence art teachers, including, from left, Don Stevanov, Deena Amont, Emma Norwood, Wendy Vertacnik, Maria Martin, Rachel Downs, Bryan Lloyd, Sarah Podrasky, Simon McCaffrey and Goldie Schmiedeler.

The Lawrence Art Guild recently presented $7,000 to art teachers at area public high schools to help with the purchase of art supplies.

This is the second year in a row the organization’s gifting program has been able to assist seven area school districts with a gift of $1,000 each, according to Maria Martin, the guild’s president.

The guild presented checks to Lawrence USD 497, Baldwin USD 348, Perry-Lecompton USD 343, Eudora USD 491, Santa Fe Trail USD 434, West Franklin USD 287 and Shawnee Heights USD 450.

The extra funds enable art teachers to purchase equipment, assist students in portfolio preparations for college, subsidize high school art shows or simply purchase necessary supplies for their classrooms, Martin said.

In Lawrence, the district’s $1,000 is split between the two high schools. Each school then distributes that $500 among all of its art teachers, Martin said.

Lawrence High School art instructor Deena Amont told the Lawrence Journal-World that she used her past gift from the guild to purchase supplies for her jewelry and art metals classes.

Martin said guild members helped raise some of the $7,000 by donating a percentage they made from selling their work at art shows.

“It’s that percentage that enables us to do this,” Martin said.

The guild, a nonprofit organization, is known for organizing long-running local events, including Art in the Park and the Holiday Art Fair.

“Not everyone is an artist; some are just people who appreciate the arts,” Martin said. “It’s fantastic they can do this.”