Arts & Antiques
Art as Antidote
Creativity manifest on canvas or in clay takes dabbling artists to a higher place.
BY
Brooke Pearl
PHOTOGRAPHY
courtesy of ARTichokes

courtesy of The Kansas City Art Institute
courtesy of The Kansas City Art Institute
courtesy of The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
When you’re stressed or overwhelmed with family, friends or work, don’t forget to take time for yourself — maybe explore a side of you that you’ve never seen before.

Whether it’s oil painting in abstract form, taking photos of people and places or getting your hands dirty in a mound of clay, art is a creative outlet that takes daily tension and anxiety and turns it into something that represents you (in one form or another). Whether a doctor, lawyer, teacher, designer or builder, everyone has something they can extract from within. “Art is an antidote for daily stresses,” says Mary Dwyer, assistant director of continuing education at the Kansas City Art Institute. “Art releases stress and allows people to think creatively, explore their own personal feelings and look at the world differently. It’s a whole new focus for them.”

Before you roll up your sleeves and dive in, take time to draw inspiration from some of Kansas City’s artistic surroundings. “The art scene in Kansas City is thriving,” says Laura DeAngelis, gallery director for Red Star Studios and artist for the largest Art in the Loop project to date, opening in downtown Kansas City this April. “There’s an explosion of activity and interest like never before.” Art in the Loop is a program that commissions permanent public artwork for places in Kansas City’s Central Business District. It’s partnered with several different local organizations to make sure new artwork continues to bring identity, opportunity and awareness to the area. Along the same (colorful) lines, the Avenue of the Arts, in conjunction with the city of Kansas City, Mo., and the Municipal Art Commission, showcases temporary public artwork each summer, spotlighting six new artists.

Our museums also inspire, especially the new Bloch Building at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art on the Johnson County Community College campus. Even if you’ve already been, a second or third trip might bring attention to something you missed before — it’s all in your interpretation. “When you have these kinds of cultural institutions, it keeps art in the minds of people and makes them want to develop their own talents and interests,” Mary says.

After examining what others have done, it’s time for you to begin your own creative process. There are classes in the metro area for everyone, including the expressive child and overworked adult. At Red Star Studios, you can immerse yourself in an array of ceramic classes with “all the magic of making something,” Laura says. The studio offers a beginner’s class and intermediate/advanced class for anyone who’s interested in making a functional piece of art — perhaps a coffee mug to take to work, reminding you of the artist within. Another feel-good place to get your artistic feet wet is ARTichokes in Leawood, Kan. Its five-week-long classes, which include drawing, painting, cartoons for children, clay sculptures, knitting, dance lessons, theater, music, songwriting and creative writing, serve children 3 years old and on up to adults. “We want people to concentrate on something else and explore what subconsciously is probably trying to come forward,” says Jackie Warren, ARTichokes art director. “It’s about relaxation, and visitors say it’s just homey and comfortable when they walk in.” ARTichokes also features works by 12 artists, who rotate every three months to keep the scenery fresh and new for the community.

The Kansas City Art Institute, along with many other area schools and institutions, also reaches out to the public. At KCAI, children and adults have a wide variety of classes to choose from, including comic book illustration, art business (how to sell your art), ceramics, drawing, journaling, painting, mixed media, photography, printmaking, sculpture and woodworking. To get you started this spring, we’ve compiled the following list of classes to help you best express yourself.

To see a list of classes visit our events calendar.