By Jessica Robison
Moapa Valley Progress
August 4, 2010
The Moapa Valley Art Guild sponsored an Art Workshop on Saturday, July 30. The Art Workshop is a free class for teenagers age 11-17. The workshop has been meeting for two hours in the library conference room every Saturday for the past month.
Overton artist Max Bunnell, who is the founder of the Art Guild, taught the Art Workshop. This week, he taught the teens how to use watercolors. They practiced by painting clouds and mountains. Bunnell painted an incredible demonstration painting as well.
When they finished, Bunnell talked to the teenagers about choosing to be an artist for their future occupation. “If you want it bad enough, you will achieve it.,” Bunnell said. “So how bad do you want it?”
Saturday’s workshop was the fourth class that has been held this summer. In previous classes, students learned to draw trees, hands (without tracing their own), and a barn using perspective.
“It is a really fun learning experience,” student Marya Romero commented.
Eleven teenagers signed up for the Art Workshop. “They show a lot of interest,” Jackie Worthen stated. “They pay close attention to the lessons and all of them really intend on learning. They’re very serious about this.”
The purpose of the Art Workshop is to teach the students what they do not learn in school. They are also encouraged by members of the Art Guild and they receive one-on-one time so they may better improve their art skills.
Lynn Rigoni, an Art Guild member, is credited for coming up with the idea for the Art Workshop. Worthen and Scott Simper (Vice President of the Art Guild) then set the idea in motion. The class was only supposed to go until the end of July, but it may be extended until school starts in the fall.
“The kids showed such interest that they’ve been asking us to add extra weeks [of the workshop],” Shanalee Simper, a member of the Art Guild, commented.
“We want to give credit to the library for letting us use their room,” Worthen said. “And we will be doing this again in January!”
