Free to explore: art workshop offers variety of experiences
Nicole Tavenner
Myanna Taylor twirls three hula hoops at Saturday's Kids Create art and motion workshop in Polson.
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Linda Sappington
Translucent glass stones and sticky glue transform simple cylinders into candleholders, with the help of artistic hands.
Linda Sappington
Translucent glass stones and sticky glue transform simple cylinders into candleholders, with the help of artistic hands.
Linda Sappington
Kindergartener Lex Avison said the gymnastics session was the most fun he had all day.
Linda Sappington
Linda Sappington
Mesa McKee explains how her paper sailboat is actually a tool to help a left-handed person paint without smearing a wet canvas.
Linda Sappington
Linda Sappington
Mike Lemm teaches students how to paint Monsters on wooden blocks.
Linda Sappington
Mike Lemm teaches students how to paint Monsters on wooden blocks.
Linda Sappington
Translucent glass stones and sticky glue transform simple cylinders into candleholders, with the help of artistic hands.
Linda Sappington
Children warm up before the learning to tumble.
Linda Sappington
Children warm up before the learning to tumble.
Linda Sappington
Kendall Hendricks pretends to be a frog in the Oula, Jr., session at the Kids Create event, held Saturday at Polson Middle School.
Linda Sappington
Children stretch before the learning to tumble.
Linda Sappington
Students learn how to build their own video game.
Linda Sappington
Artist Mary Sale helps a student with his inkle weaving.
Linda Sappington
Each student is assigned a bag for their belongings and creations. The bags line the hallway as students make their way to class.
Hey savvy news reader! Thanks for choosing local.
You are now reading
1 of 3 free articles.
A dozen years ago, artist Edna Lemm dreamed of a workshop where Polson children could come together to create through movement, media and a bit of mayhem.
That vision took flight Saturday as more than 100 kids, grades K-8, gathered at Polson Middle School for the first-ever “Kids Create” workshop.
Ironically, many of the children at the event weren’t even born when Lemm first discussed the idea.
With 17 instructors on board, children chose three 75-minute activities ranging from printmaking to cheerleading to making a video game to learning creative strategies.
Movement classes, such as Oula, Jr., jazz dance and cheerleading, filled up first. The single most popular session was gymnastics, where energetic youngsters flipped and twisted and jumped while being carefully spotted by instructor Jessica Edwards, coach and owner of Head Over Heels, LLC.
“This is the most fun I’ve had all day,” kindergarten tumbler Lex Avison said.
Each classroom offered diverse learning opportunities.
Older students, excited to create their own video game, seemed perplexed as instructor Dave Ayers explained the need to comprehend computer languages necessary to build even the simplistic and groundbreaking “Pong” video game; Local artist Mary Sale patiently helped her group string colorful yarn on a loom to create Inkle weavings; artist Louanne Krantz helped students learn the fine patterns of Zentangle Painting, which Lemm calls a “fantastical doodle thing.”
Polson’s Gifted and Talented Education instructor Tamara Fisher challenged students to build something unique using SCAMPER strategies for fostering creativity. Mesa McKee stood before the class and explained her creation, a sailboat, built from a square of paper with a paintbrush mast and a cloth flag. The decorative object served a greater purpose: by flipping it over and holding onto the “boat,” she could paint left handed without dragging her hand through wet paint. Problem solved.
Even the lunch hour offered an interactive art project where students painted shapes on giant murals. For the kids who only signed up for the movement classes, it was a chance to make art.
For a dozen years, Lemm has inspired art appreciation in Polson classrooms through the art docent program. Student artwork in the form of ceramic tile murals are still displayed in hallways of Polson schools and chairs painted in the style of legendary artists grace homes and businesses as a testament to Lemm’s dedication.
This year Lemm is serving as the volunteer coordinator for Polson school district. She was instrumental in starting the W.A.T.C.H. Dogs program to bring dads into the classrooms, and her position afforded the opportunity to finally organize the Kids Create event, patterned after a similar structure she saw in a Washington school.
Now in its 11th year, the Washington program involves nearly 400 children.
Lemm started the local event from scratch. She got on the phone and sent emails, asking all everyone she knew to come teach what they know.
“A lot of people here have hidden talents,” she said.
Then she sent out registration forms.
“After the first week, we only had 20 kids signed up,” she said. “I was a little bit panicked. You throw something out there and don’t have any idea how it is going to work … but they kept trickling in, and the more they trickled in, the more it seemed viable.”
By Wednesday before the workshop, 90 children had signed up. On Saturday morning, many more kids popped in. Lemm scrambled through the hallways to see which teachers could accommodate more students.
Tucker Johnson was one of the late bloomers, and jumped into whatever classes had room.
“I just wanted to make art,” Johnson said as he happily printed houses scratched into light sheets of Styrofoam. “We get to bring it home and show our parents.”
At the end of the day, the Kids Create workshop was huge, colorful, and an enormous success.
“I wanted it to be a splash. I know from experience, if you don’t start something right, full force, right from the get-go, it’s not going to take off,” Lemm said. “Take my word for it; I’ve started enough things.”
