Clever Cow Creamery will showcase local student artwork

Saturday, April 13, 5-7 p.m., Clever Cow Creamery

— from Trillium Swanson —

Join us on April 13 from 5-7 p.m. at Clever Cow Creamery, for the Gallery Opening Showcase of Orcas Island High School and Oasis Students Trinity Wood, Thian Armenia, Richard Sanders, and Alana Lago. The Gallery Opening culminates the first-ever arts-focused mentoring session, a collaboration between the San Juan County Arts Council and Funhouse Commons. The artists’ work will be displayed for one month, for visitors of the ice cream shop to enjoy.

This four-month mentorship was established to create and support relationships between established artists and young people interested in the arts, across San Juan County. Brook Meinhardt, Andrew Youngren, Kevin Cron, & Thomas Leonard have each been working alongside a student weekly, to create works of art for the Showcase.

Thian Armenia, a Junior at Orcas Island High School who has been working with Thomas Leonard, shares that “Being able to learn skills like metalworking and carving have given me another two art mediums to continue exploring and the knowledge to make any tool I might need in the process.” Prior to being matched with Thomas, Thian had not worked with metal or carving, and explains: “Finishing a project and holding something in my hands that I made, you don’t get that feeling with a drawing or painting. Every strike of the hammer or cut of the chisel counts towards the final piece.”

The San Juan Arts Council has funded each adult artist to purchase any necessary art supplies in their mentee’s pursuit of their creative work, such as high quality pencils, paints, and paper.

Light refreshments will be served at the gallery opening at Clever Cow Creamery on April 13 from 5-7 p.m., and the art will be on display until May 12.

For more information, to make a donation, or to get involved with the San Juan County Arts Council, check out their website at SanJuanCountyArts.org, or contact Board President, Claire Wright, directly at SanJuanCountyArts@gmail.com or (505) 702-6796.

For more information about the Funhouse Mentor Program, please email volunteer@thefunhouse.org or call Mentor Program Coordinator, Trillium Swanson at 360-376-7177.