“We’re all artists — at different stages with different ideas.” That’s the approach Heather Stamenov said she brings to her educational programming at Kimball Art Center.
At 1251 Kearns Blvd. in Park City, Kimball Art Center is the internationally recognized creative nonprofit providing locals with education opportunities and exhibitions for nearly 50 years. The space features gallery exhibitions in its colorful front rooms and offers three bright studio spaces for painting, drawing and ceramics classes in the back. Its current group show, “Gaze Into These Eyes,” is a collaboration with the Center for Art and Advocacy, featuring art created by those impacted by the carceral system.
On Oct. 23 from 6-8:30 p.m., Kimball Art Center will host its annual fundraiser, Art Night, an 18-plus event with a Back-to-School theme and students present to share their experiences.
Grace Gladson is a senior at Park City High School and president of the Art Club. She became involved with Kimball’s programming through attending its summer camps for elementary students and is now in her fifth year with the center’s Young Artists’s Academy.
The Young Artists’ Academy is a school-year-long weekly program for artists ages 13-plus that meets from September through May. The program requires an application process to select young artists who can draw well, are interested in learning more about art and are ready to commit themselves. The class brings in artists to meet and mentor the students, share techniques and introduce them to specializations like welding and encaustic.
“I think the biggest thing for me and most people who are in (Young Artists’ Academy) is the community that comes with being in a place surrounded by people that love the same thing as you. Everyone who is in (Young Artists’ Academy) is very dedicated to art,” Gladson said. “It’s people that I wouldn’t have met without the program. I met a lot of my best friends through the program, and it’s one of the main reasons that I kept coming back.
“Once you get involved it’s pretty easy to stay involved and you find out about new things. Through the Kimball, I found out about the Art Council that I’ve been interning with,” Gladson said.
Working on real-life civic projects helps students expand their understanding of creative work and community.
“Across the street there’s a construction site,” Stamenov said. “There’s a mural there created by Caro Nilsson, an artist that we know, so we connected with her, and students spent some time learning from her about murals, the process, how you apply, how you design, how you come up with an idea, then they got to help out. One Tuesday night we went and worked on the mural. They got to get the logistics of, ‘How do you decide what paint colors? Where do they go?’ Then we spent two hours painting so they got to collaborate and leave their mark right here in Park City.”
“A lot of them come from this, ‘I like to draw’ perspective,” Stamenov said. “It develops them conceptually. What do you like to draw? What’s interesting? What’s your perspective? What’s your voice? By the end of the year, they really have an amazing community. And they also have a portfolio at the end of it where they have a diverse body of work they can use if they want to apply for college or just enjoy.”
Kimball Art Center hosts a drawing and painting club for grades six through eight. The eight-week programs teach up to 10 students, and scholarships are available.
“A lot of them love to draw and paint, so it’s a good time for them to be with likeminded tweens and explore different subjects,” Stamenov said. “Right now they’re working on some fantasy, ‘if you could be anywhere in the future, what would you be interested in painting?’ so there’s a lot of fairy tales and imaginative creatures that are being created. They’re really chatty with each other, and it’s great for them socially and emotionally to be with each other and have a safe space.”
For elementary students, Art After School brings art to their school sites that the students can attend right after the bell. The elementary visual art teachers lead the after-school art program coordinated through Park City’s community education program, Compass.
Each March, students have a chance to see their artwork on gallery walls when Kimball Art Center hosts the Wasatch Back Student Art Show. Art class students receive coaching and mentorship as they put together their projects, and the show is also open to all students in Park City.
As a nonprofit, the Kimball Art Center depends on donations, grants and sponsorships. The Art Night fundraiser is free to attend and provides a chance for parents and patrons to learn more about classes, memberships, donating and volunteer opportunities. Done To Your Taste catering will provide nibbles and High West Distillery and Moab Brewing will be providing drinks in the “Teacher’s Lounge.” Advance registration is required.
More information is available at kimballartcenter.org