Bringing art into the woods
Vernonia, a small community in the coastal range of Oregon, has a secret that is slowly going public. It’s a growing haven for the arts, where amazing old talent appears unexpectedly from small shops, barns and studios, and new talent is nurtured and appreciated across the board.
This beautiful youtube clip gives a small peek into what Vernonia children are doing with their free time. Enjoy!
Kerri Boutwell is the founder and director of Grace Fine Arts, a Christian after-school program designed to celebrate beauty in a spirit of thanksgiving.
She is passionate about fine art being accessible to children and overcoming the idea that only people who are “born with it” can be artists.
She strives to teach the foundational methods of perception – of “seeing as an artist” to her students by using many strategies to engage right brain thinking in her classes. She also teaches at the Beaverton campus of Masters School of Arts.
She has worked in Acrylic, Pastel, Watercolor, Charcoal, and pencil, favoring Portraiture in any medium.
She has illustrated a children’s book, working with local author, Stacey Rech. She and her husband are currently collaborating on a children’s book about their delightfully precocious little girl, Luella.
Grace Fine Arts – Student Art Exhibition
