As a child, Bianca D’Arcangelo found a haven at Maritime Apartments in Bath. The arrival of the ArtVan in her neighborhood brought a sense of tranquility that was often hard to find amidst the chaos of a home with four siblings. D’Arcangelo, now 27 and an accomplished artist, attributes her understanding of using art to calm down to the influence of ArtVan.

Unlock the Healing Power of Art with ArtVan

How ArtVan Started

Jamie Silvestri, the founder and director of ArtVan, used to work as an art therapist in clinical settings like St. Mary’s Hospital in Lewiston. However, she had a vision to bring art therapy to kids before they required more serious intervention. In 2004, she launched a mobile program that brought a van filled with art supplies directly to neighborhoods. Twenty years on, ArtVan has become a renowned nonprofit, serving 15 neighborhoods in four counties. The program's costs are covered by grants, donations, and partner organizations, ensuring it remains free for the participating kids.ArtVan is truly dedicated to providing the resources and tools for young people to navigate through life's challenges and emerge whole, healthy, and healed. Silvestri emphasizes, "We're striving to offer a space where kids can express themselves and find solace through art."

The ArtVan Experience

When the ArtVan arrives, its horn honks, signaling the start of an exciting creative journey for the kids. They can drop in and work on the project of the week, which could range from a mobile to a sculpture or a drawing. Using materials like pipe cleaners, cardstock paper, yarn, and hole punches, the kids let their imaginations run wild. Silvestri prompts them to think about spaces that make them feel cozy or encourages them to release their anger through art.This is significantly different from a traditional arts education setting where the focus is on shading and following specific artistic techniques. At ArtVan, the emphasis is on exploration and freedom with the materials, ensuring that the kids' needs are met on a deeper level.

The Lasting Impact

D’Arcangelo moved to Woolwich at 12 but her family still feels the influence of ArtVan. Her younger brother, Keegan Companion, is renowned in Bath for his pipe cleaner sculptures. As an adult, D’Arcangelo returned to Maritime Apartments and brings her 6-year-old to see Silvestri when the ArtVan visits. She proudly shows him the colorful mural she created during her time in the program. Silvestri had asked the kids, "Paint something you would like to see." Now, D’Arcangelo can tell Odin, "I helped paint that."This shows how ArtVan not only provides a creative outlet for the kids in the present but also leaves a lasting mark on their lives, inspiring them to express themselves through art and find joy in the creative process.

Today, I had an astonishing experience. In the very first 10 seconds of a trailer, a '90s-style 3D model of a businessman performed a kickflip with a dolphin in slow motion over the flashing words "ASSET FLIP". This spectacle was so captivating that I immediately rushed to Steam and downloaded the free demo of Spreadcheat. The game's opening gambit to potential players is "Do YOU have mad spreadsheet skills?"

Uncover the '90s Business Spreadsheet Adventure

Spreadsheet Skills and the Trojan Horse

I like to believe that I possess a few spreadsheet moves that can leave the younger generation in awe. However, Spreadcheat is a bit of a hidden gem. It initially promises the spreadsheet life but turns out to be a deeply peculiar and humorous puzzle game set in a '90s business environment dominated by bros. Here, the boss first wants to know if you're "cool", and then you have to remove ads for local singles and free PalmPilots from his PC using your "geek thing".In the game, I found myself fiddling with various figures I didn't understand, accidentally firing half the accounting department. I was also investigating an upgrade to my business card, realizing that "Eggshell White" makes the numbers look "cool and legitimate". I had to tidy away the blow-up dolls from my boss's late-night escapades before creating a PowerPoint about how "innovation is in our DNA", with the words rotating and zooming on a starry background. It felt like I finally got a real job!

The Spreadsheet Puzzle Experience

The demo allows you to go through approximately half an hour of the game. I would compare it to something like sudoku. The spreadsheet puzzles start off simple, but I struggled with the final one until I understood the functions. This suggests that the full game will present a decent challenge.The real question with Spreadcheat is whether you enjoy the vibe. It offers slightly lurid and surreal jokes about business and accounting while being pestered by a Clippy-like knockoff pencil (Corpy). In its current form, Corpy follows my mouse cursor outside the game window and hovers above the article I'm writing about it, asking if I need help. Whether it's a bug or a feature, it's a unique touch.

The Full-Fat Game and Its Promises

The full-fat version of the game can be added to your Steam wishlist, and it is set to release early next year. It promises to deliver the glorious "aesthetic pleasure of the ultimate '90s operating system" along with MIDI music and "256 sparkling colors". It also includes those "hilarious e-mail attachments" that we all remember so well. It really takes me back to the '90s.The final word goes to Spreadcheat's producer, Jack Kristofferson. He said, "While other kids were dreaming of spaceships, I was dreaming of spreadsheets. Who needs rocket science when you have conditional formatting?"Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.