KDA Creative Challenge – Spring Mugs

KDA Creative Challenge – Spring Mugs

Ages 6-14

The Kids Do Art! Creative Challenge Boxes are an inventive way to keep kids connecting with the arts while at home and proved to be a highlight of 2020 at the J. We’re excited to bring them back, but this time – bigger and better!

Creative Challenges are open to all ages 6-14 and start with the purchase of a themed box of mystery materials which the participants then use to create their own unique art, culminating in a live and virtual exhibit, here at the Jansen Art Center. There will be a new challenge each quarter throughout the year, with a limited number of boxes (50) available each round.

We start off our 2021 KDA Creative Challenge with Spring Mugs. This exploration into ceramics, glazing, color and design starts by picking up your pre-made mug from the J or our Bellingham partner, Allied Arts at 1418 Cornwall Ave. The mugs and boxes for this project will be prepared in advance by volunteers from our ceramics studio. One of the most active studios at the J, the ceramics department hosts a variety of classes, open studio hours, and events throughout the year. Included with your mug will be a selection of prepared glazes, paintbrushes, and information to help you design.

New this year! We’re hosting an Artist Chat where young artists can have the opportunity to chat with an established artist working in the field. This won’t be an instructional workshop, but an informal conversation between artists where our young participants can get first hand experience and engage in creative discussion with a professional artist. We are excited to welcome Ryan Myers to this program. Ryan’s uniquely expressive, detailed bird mug won the People’s Choice Awards for the 2019 Cup Show, an annual ceramics exhibit at the J featuring international submissions. He will be joined by ceramics instructor Pam Fredback, who will be doing an intro on the firing process and explaining how colors will change in that process as well as showing some examples.

Once the young artists are finished with glazing their masterpiece, they will return their work to the J for a final firing in the kiln before it will be photographed, set up for exhibition display, and launched in our Virtual Gallery online! The exhibition will be available for all to see with no admission cost, and a People’s Choice Vote will be open to the public and participants for the first week of the exhibit. The top 3 winners of the People’s Choice Awards will be awarded an automatic entry into the J’s Cup Show in June!