DECATUR - A culture was being explored through art Saturday afternoon at the Lakeside Music and Arts Festival.

Mexican metal tooling is a centuries-old art in which an image is embossed onto foil and can be colored.

It was one of many art activities available during the two-day festival at Nelson Park at Lake Decatur.

Susan Jess, a volunteer at the event helping children with the metal tooling, said the art form was ideal for a wide age range, and it allowed children to see and experience art of another culture.

On soft aluminum, children used the pointed end of a paintbrush to trace a stencil and then used markers to add color.

"We have all kinds of tools," Jess said. "They can even let their creativity take over."

With a green marker in hand coloring the star she created, 13-year-old Johanna Reedy said, "This is cool. It's a good idea for a craft."

Her 11-year-old sister, Emma, added, "It's pretty easy and fun to make."

The sisters said they also enjoyed taking part in painting a piece of the mural that will be on display in the Madden Arts Center on North Water Street.

The mural will be composed of 270 wooden squares, kind of like puzzle pieces requiring a specific color, that children have the opportunity to paint at the festival, said Jaclyn Weisenborn, an intern with the Decatur Area Arts Council.

"It's basically a huge color-by-number," she said. "It's something easy enough kids and adults can take part in together."

Another family activity at the festival was sand building, which 4-year-old Kayla Russo was having a ball with.

Whenever Kayla was asked what she was going to build, she would say, "A castle this big," raising her hand well above her head.

Lenore Sloan of Decatur, Kayla's grandmother, helped her in building up her sand for her castle.

Sloan said Kayla recently had come from making her first pottery bowl at the festival, even though she was hesitant about using the pottery wheel at first.

"She had a lot of fun making the bowl," Sloan said. "Her initials were carved into it. Her bowl came out perfect."

Kayla will get the chance to receive her finished bowl after it is fired up. A slip of paper is received telling a person when they can pick up their creations at the Decatur Area Arts Council.

Brenda Bunch, a member of Gallery 510 Arts Guild Ltd., said the arts portion of the festival was receiving high praises Saturday from the artists and festival visitors.

Local artist Darren Miller, who is also a Gallery 510 member, said, "I do about 20 shows a year, and this is one of the coolest.

"There's quality art out here, and people are responding to it."

Alicia Spates can be reached at aspates@herald-review.com or 421-6986.