Art Club

This winter some of my students at YVCC started an art club. The club became official in the spring and yesterday the club won "Club of the Year" from student government. 

The students have been very active with their club. At every meeting they're busy with a guest or an activity. Though they've only been official for a couple months, they took a club trip down to Toppenish to visit the new art building being constructed at Heritage, they brought in our photography instructor to help document their artwork and last week, for an end-of-the-year event, they invited art students to visit the art building to snack on Pizza and meet Leo Adams.

art club president, Shannon Hoptowit; Leo Adams; me (club advisor); and club founder, Mike Hiler (photo credit: Jane Gutting)

Adams is a local Yakama artist who is well known for his painting and for his design. His unique and fascinating house always anchors the Larson Gallery Tour of Artists' Homes and Studios. He came to visit art club and talk about his experience as an artist coming from Yakima but finding success in his field. Adams spoke to a group of roughly 40 students and faculty members and after he spoke there were quite a few questions from the audience.

I am very impressed with my students for getting involved in the club and making the club meaningful and useful for them. I hope next year's group will stay motivated and keep the group active and exciting.

One of the club's earlier discussions centered around getting students involved in art shows locally. Last month many of our students showed their work in the DoVA Student Exhibition. Next Friday is the opening reception for the Larson Gallery Guild Membership Show. The Larson Gallery Guild supports and funds the gallery; membership dues pay for staffing and events. Every June LGG members are invited to put work in the members show. This year some of the more motivated art students will also participate in the show, you can come see their work (and mine) next Friday from 5-7pm.