Three local art supply stores and galleries – along with the Campbell River Arts Council – came together this weekend to encourage Campbell River kids to get creative.
At the first of what organizers hope will become an annual tradition, Young At Art saw the pieces lining the walls of the Crow’s Nest Gallery in Willow Point replaced with that of local kids from the ages 7 to 17.
Nadia Rieger, owner of Crow’s Nest, says they received over 50 submissions for this year’s show from 22 different artists, all of which have unique styles, visions, methods and mediums.
And all were welcome.
“It’s all about supporting the young artists in the community and just sort of nurturing that creative drive in them,” Rieger says. “Being an art teacher and being in this industry as long as I have – and being an artist – I know that art is often looked at as something that’s not necessarily being important. It’s seen as something that people just do for fun as a hobby, but I want to spread the message that if art is in you, it’s something you can do for a living or make a much more important part of your life.
“Kids, a lot of the time, are insecure about being creative and wanting to be an artist and wanting to do that with their lives,” Rieger continues, “and I think that comes from people telling them that’s not what you do. You don’t be an artist. So I think it’s important to encourage them and this show is a way to show them that their love of art is important and it’s appreciated.”
But she didn’t want to do it alone. Not because she couldn’t have, but because she knew others would want to spread that same message.
“I knew that the supply stores – Impressions and PJ’s – believe in these things, as well,” Rieger says. “And the Arts Council is all about supporting the arts in all ages, so it was important that they had the opportunity to be involved, because these are the same things that they stand for, too.”
Laurie Andrews of Impressions Custom Framing and Art Supplies says they hopped on board as soon as Rieger approached them with the idea.
“All of our philosophies are such that it’s all about artists helping artists. It’s about picking each other up,” Andrews says. “And the arts community here is just so phenomenal that we want to be a part of whatever we can in order to support it.”
There was one winner in each age category, selected by Andrews, one “People’s Choice” award selected by public vote of those who attended and one “Best in Show,” selected by Heidi Cuff, who was on hand representing the Campbell River Arts Council. Rieger herself gave out five “Creativity” awards to five artists who, as she says, “have stepped outside the traditional way of representing things.”
But most importantly, Rieger says, is that everyone walked away with a participation prize of art supplies, courtesy PJ’s Art Supplies and the Willow Point Dollar Store.
“I wanted to make sure that everyone involved feels encouraged to keep at it,” Rieger says, “and what’s more encouraging than having fresh supplies to dig into?”
And all of the organizers agree that this should only the first of many such events.
“I had so much time organizing this and I hope to make it bigger and better next year,” Rieger says. “It was so touching to see how excited the kids were when they brought their art in and how stoked they were to see it up on the wall, and I know that everyone else involved feels the same way.”
In other Arts news:
Campbell River theatre group goes in for some Self Help
Foot-loose, roof-raising fundraiser dance for Habitat for Humanity Campbell River
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