By JAMES BELL
Hays Post
– Part one of a series on the Hays Arts Council’s Sizzlin’ Summer art classes –
Even though school is out for the summer, plenty of learning is going on at the Hays Arts Council with its “Sizzlin’ Summer” art classes going through July for area youth. The first classes wrapped up last week.
Michael Knutson, an adjunct instructor of art at Fort Hays State University, taught two drawing classes during the first week of courses.
“I’ve been working with the Hays Arts Council for youth summer art classes for children ages 6 to 12 in two different sections and out for the first class is the summer, working with basic drawing classes, where we’re starting off with very simple fundamentals up to some more basic stuff perspective and shading with the older kids,” Knutson said.
Visitors to the Hays Arts Council Annex, 1010 Main, during the Summer Art Walk saw completed projects from the students during last Friday’s event where the classes decorated the windows of the space in preparation for the art walk.
While each class during the summer is different, students for the drawing classes met met regularly for a two week period.
“These classes were running for four days a week for an hour each day Monday through Thursday and then there’s two sections each day.”
The two drawing classes had a different focus for the students.
“We have a more traditional drawing class that’s got most of the basics then we are running a fun drawing class called Zen-Tangles, Doodling and Cartooning where we’re kinda doing more, I guess, intuitive drawing or fun drawing as apposed to learning how to do certain tasks and kinda setting the bar and trying to have them work up to that bar, Knutson said. “It gives it a little bit more.”
“The cartoons in particular have become pretty awesome, we started to move on to comic books from the cartoons, which have become pretty popular and awesome,” he said.
Knutson noted a distinct difference in working with his regular college-age students and working with the younger students in the summer classes.
“Working with the kids has been great,” Knutson said. “So far they’re a ton of energy and a ton of ideas they are going every direction and we might start off doing two and one thing and it could be completely different. Their minds move so quick and they’re not afraid to admit failure or admit to not knowing anything or admitting that they’re bored, they’ll come right out and say that, so we’ll move on to something real quick. Compared to working with college students, a complete different level is, you know, they just kinda bite the bullet and stick with it and these young kids their minds are just moving so quick and they love discovering new things their ability to find joy in the most mundane thing or coming up with really creative combinations of things and staying active and enthusiastic about it is really enjoyable to watch.”