First Annual Young Artist Winter Art Fair
Two local residents, both known for contributions to the community, teamed up today to help kids ages six to 16 show off their art skills, and learn a few things as well.
The Museum of Clean was the location for the First Annual Young Artist Winter Art Fair.
Today’s event was about learning the different ways art can be created. Even something simple and fun, like popping balloons full of color, can create a beautiful work of art.
“We’re hoping to have this be an annual event, because it’s just something that we need here,” said Malynda Cooper, Organizer. “It’s so desperately needed.”
Cooper grew up in Utah, where she participated in yearly art festivals. When she moved to Pocatello, she felt this was an outlet that kids were missing.
“We [Don Aslett and I] just decided this would be the perfect time,” Cooper said, “And we would create a way to get kids inspired and get them encouraged to do art, and see how amazing it is.”
Cooper, who created the Bengal tiger statue on campus, even made a sculpture of one participant’s face. Participants got to see local expert artists in action.
They were also able to tattoo bananas, learn about how to contour lines, and displayed art that was prepared beforehand.
Other types of art included drawing while letting music influence the way your art went, using watercolors, and drawing everyday objects, like soda cans, as well as creating pop-up books.
Meanwhile, the host of the event made the rounds, encouraging kids to get hands-on experience from the volunteers.
“They’re all really good artists,” said Don Aslett, event Host. “Most people think they’d need to be from California or New York or something. Idaho has as good or better than anybody in the world. I’m sure of that.”
Aslett also said that the location for the fair was just right.
“The best compliment we had at the museum was, ‘this is not about clean – this is about lifestyle,'” Aslett stated. “And art is about lifestyle and therefore, all this art we’re pushing here is to make life better and do it through clean.”
Today’s event wasn’t simply about learning different forms of art. It was about opening the eyes of young people to healthy and – as Aslett said, “clean” – ways of self-expression.
“So it’s just a lot of different ways to see art that they may have never experienced before,” Copper said.
Cooper and Aslett also wanted to thank the volunteers artists who participated in today’s event.
