Inspiring a generation

HAYDEN - "Do you want to see a magic trick?" Gabe Mahaffey, 12, eagerly asked. "As you can see I have nothing in my hands. Now watch."

The small, yellow handkerchief he twirled around seemed to disappear into thin air as a group of other youngsters watched, amazed.

Gabe, of Post Falls, said he already knew the trick before this year's ArtShop, so he was a perfect candidate to perform it.

"Magic Effects" was just one of the classes at the annual workshop, which takes place at Hayden Meadows Elementary School the week leading to Art on the Green.

About 200 kids participated in ArtShop's 33rd year of teaching young minds different visual and performing art skills. This was Gabe's third ArtShop. He said he really enjoyed the visual art class "Mud Works," which is similar to a pottery class.

"We made this really cool spiral pot, we made little figures, it's fun," he said. "I've molded stuff with clay, but I've never had it fired. My first year (at ArtShop) I did 'Glass Works,' and you made pendants and suncatchers and stuff out of glass. That was pretty cool."

Kids from elementary school through eighth grade are invited to participate in ArtShop. They have several options for how to expand their artistic skills: developing clown characters in Terry Barnard's "Clowning Around" class, refining cartooning abilities in Jeff Johnson's "Cartooniversity," using nature as inspiration in Chelsea Cordova's "Mini Forest Homes" session and much more.

"It allows kids to explore different types of art, with visual and performing. It makes them well-rounded and it's fun, and they learn lots," said Mikayla Oswald, 14, of Coeur d'Alene. Mikayla is an ArtShop assistant, as are many high-schoolers who have gone through the program. This is her fourth year being active with ArtShop.

"I like seeing the kids, how much they grow and learn by the end of the week," she said. "I know I grew so much and learned so much when I went, so I was like, I want to help people do that too."

Barbara Scarth is a former Coeur d'Alene resident who now lives in Hawaii. She taught ArtShop about 10 years ago. She likes to visit Coeur d'Alene and this year volunteered to teach students how to hula dance.

"In Hawaii, little girls take hula lessons like girls here take ballet or tap dance. Boys too," she said. "What these kids learned are two beginning hulas. They're doing great."

With leis made out of repurposed fabric and skirts decorated in a traditional Hawaiian fashion, a room full of 8- through 13-year-olds demonstrated the hula dance Scarth has spent the week teaching them. The dance tells about islanders walking to the ocean shore to catch fish, throwing out a net, harvesting fish and then enjoying a big luau.

"I think it's important for children to learn about other cultures different from their own and what we have in common," Scarth said. "It's a joyful experience."

Jessica Hammond of Harrison is the director of the artist assistants. She said ArtShop is a way for the youths to bring art to the community.

"It gives kids an opportunity to learn the arts and explore different types of arts that they wouldn't normally have," she said. "And my own children have been able to participate, so that makes it important to me, to give kids that opportunity. At Art on the Green, they can walk around and see what other people, professionals have done, and just open their eyes to what's possible."

The ArtShop superstars will be performing on the North Stage in Cheamkwet Park on the North Idaho College Campus during Art on the Green today from 12:15-3 p.m.

Downtown Coeur d'Alene is wide awake this weekend; Art on the Green is celebrating its 46th year.

Beginning at noon today, Cheamkwet Park on the North Idaho College Campus will become an eclectic, colorful realm of arts, crafts, innovations and creations as well as interactive workshops and live music.

Works from more than 170 local and distant artists of every medium will be featured, with many of the artists on site to share their art with the community. Visitors will have opportunities to meet many of the artists in person as well as purchase one-of-a-kind gifts and pieces.

A youth poetry wall will showcase original poetry from area kids, 'tweens and teens. Near the children's Hands on Art area, poetry flags will be waving. Local kids will gather Sunday morning for a Youth Poetry Reading to share a love of the literary arts and the spoken word.

Entertainment will abound through the festival as several music and dance performers will take the stage, from jazz, pop and country to classic funk, Latin/salsa and world music. And area youths will be bringing their ArtShop skills to the community as they perform marimbas, magic, juggling and more.

Other highlights include the Clothesline Art Sale booth, which showcases original works by local artists, a chance to buy 2014 Art on the Green posters by artist Alan McNiel, a free bike corral where festival-goers can park their bikes and plenty of food booths to satiate appetites for ice cream, stir-fried veggies, chicken, salmon and more. Art on the Green is made possible by the Citizens' Council for the Arts.

Also happening this weekend is the Taste of Coeur d'Alene event in City Park and the Downtown Street Fair along Sherman Avenue. The Taste of Coeur d'Alene, sponsored by the Idaho Panhandle Kiwanis, will provide a multitude of food vendors and music while the street fair, orchestrated by the Coeur d'Alene Downtown Association, will feature unique arts, crafts, gifts, clothing and more, as well as music, refreshments and munchies.