‘Growing Artists in the Mat-Su Valley’ by Anna Folsom

Palmer High’s International Baccalaureate (IB) Visual Arts students participated in the Palmer Arts Council Fall Studio Tours, engaging directly with the vibrant local arts community. This was the first year of studio tours and it was a great success for artists and visitors alike. Community members were invited to visit different artists’ studios, observe their creative processes, and experience art-making in real time. Multiple art mediums were demonstrated in painting, metalwork, charcoal drawing, fiber arts, sculpture, ceramics and pottery. Artists opened their studio doors willingly, and over 200 people participated in the tours.

During the tour, our student artists set up at 203 Kombucha, where they offered “quick draw” portraits to visitors. In preparation, students had practiced capturing a person’s likeness in under two minutes using blind contour, gesture drawing or continuous contour drawing. On the night of the event, equipped with Sharpies, paint markers, and sticky notes, they invited brave volunteers to sit for rapid-fire portrait sessions. Visitors watched as students worked with speed and confidence, producing small, expressive drawings that each “model” could take home as a keepsake.

As the evening unfolded, students grew even more skillful, transitioning from drawing individuals to sketching groups of up to four people at once. Although students were nervous at first, they quickly got the hang of drawing fast and interacting with people as they sat for portraits. Great discussions were shared about the variety of drawing styles and mediums the students used. Students received great feedback from the “models” who encouraged them to keep drawing, and posed great questions about their drawing skills. Guests left with handfuls of portraits created by different student artists, and students enjoyed the opportunity to talk with their sitters as they worked—making the event lively, social, and collaborative.

This partnership with the Palmer Arts Council challenged students to think and work quickly, strengthened their drawing abilities, and gave them valuable real-time feedback. It also introduced them to the thriving art scene in Palmer, Alaska. Many students were unaware there were so many working artists in the Palmer area and were excited to see their working studio space and how they created and marketed their art works. As an art teacher at Palmer High, and a board member of the Palmer Arts Council, I make it a priority to connect young artists with their community. It’s important for students to feel proud of their work, to create for and with a diverse range of people, and to contribute to the community that has shaped them.

Art is alive and well in Palmer, and these students experienced firsthand what it means to be part of an active, supportive, and creative local arts community. This was the first year of the Palmer Arts Council’s Fall Studio Tours and we hope Palmer High art students will continue to be a part of it next year and for years to come.