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All aboard for this fun, engaging and effective residency developed for smART stART, Young Audiences’ successful early literacy initiative. Train conductor Karin leads students on an incredible journey based on “The Three Little Pigs” designed to help emerging readers gain meaning from orally presented text (Georgia Performance Standard ELAKR6). This multi-media extravaganza combines music, theatre and visual arts activities (Fine Arts QCC’s 1-3 and 5-8) to help students understand story elements (character, setting, plot) and sequencing (beginning, middle and end). Students will sing songs, retell stories in their own words, create individual artworks, present a finger-puppet show and--for the grand finale--produce a large painted “Three Little Pigs”-themed canvas. As one teacher put it, “The visual arts really seem to help my students when retelling a story. When they are able to see the colors red, yellow and green, they are completely able to place story events: B-M-E. When Ms. Karin is not here, I refer to the colors after reading a story and the students are able to place the story’s events.”

Karin Mervis

Karin Mervis studied fine art in South Africa for two years before transferring to the Columbus College of Art and Design in Ohio.  She returned to South Africa to become art director for a large advertising agency, making her permanent home in the United States in 1990. 

She has sold her acrylic, mixed media, and encaustic paintings to many private collectors. Besides painting professionally, Karin has been associated with Young Audiences since 1996, and has completed over 400 Community Canvases in Georgia, New York and Australia. 

She regularly teaches summer art classes for children.  Her community-based murals are found throughout Georgia.  Karin's ultimate goal is to engage students and help them discover their capacity to create art and to challenge themselves.