The 3rd Annual AVAC Art for Youth took place during the 2009 Salida Art Walk. We had a terrific turn out this year! Thank you to our sponsors the Arkansas Valley Art Center, Vivian Charmley and Danny Stotler at High Country Bank for providing money for supplies, space for the event, and judges and prizes for the art show. The Boys and Girls Club made our signs and donated art supplies, and Salida Recreation provided volunteers, advertising, and supplies.

Local youth enjoyed art stations of jewelry and keychain making, finger painting, faux stain glass, knitting, mono print painting, and book making. Each corner was set up around Salida’s High Country Bank downtown branch. Many kids got creative as soon as the paint hit the paper!

For the third year in a row, High Country Bank donated judges for artwork during our art show, as well as prizes. Our winners this year fell into our 4-11 year old age group and they include Phoenix Moncivaiz-Likes, who placed first with a very colorful mono print titled “A Bridge.” Wyatt Shomion held the second place spot with a stained glass butterfly that won the hearts of all the judges. Finally, our third place winner was Laurel Stobbe with her amazing necklace she called, “Autumn Trees.”

A special thanks go out to all our volunteers: Anicka Olsen, Megan Granzella, & Kendall Delyser from Salida Recreation, and Erin McIntire and son Kyle Olsen from Adventures in Body Awareness, Kelly Kissling and her Youth at Crossroads teens, Bonnie Wiesel and Christina Nason, teen Dee Hence, Nish Pugh, and Mentors Plus match Selena Fancil and Jen Walters!

Please join us next year at the 2010 Salida Art Walk. Should you have any concerns or questions, please contact Menessah Nelson at 207-1114 or at artforyouth@hotmail.com . We appreciate all the effort each sponsor, volunteer, business, and youth has put it to making this event happen over the last years. Let’s keep it going!