Kroc Center Invites Youths And Adults To Get ‘Inspired’ By Art

Exploring Arts student Skye Davis works on a drawing. Photo courtesy of The Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center.

A first-ever celebration of art at the Kroc Center in Kapolei hopes to have the added benefit of bringing attention to art programs the center offers throughout the year. Community members of all ages are invited to “Art Night: Inspired” from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 23.

Entry is free, and visitors will be treated to live music, a photo booth, displays and demonstrations of jewelry-making, floral arranging and makeup artistry, as well as some hands-on fun with printmaking, stamping and card-making. Also being featured is live graffiti art and aerosol painting by Kroc art teachers Jesse Velasquez and Ralph Dela Cruz, as well as a display by summer art students. The display will feature about 200 pieces of art by students ages 4 to 74, in a variety of media from oils and acrylics, to watercolor, printmaking, charcoal and mixed media.

“We are working on building our art program and on creating a place where people can come and express their creativity in ways they most enjoy,” noted Salvation Army Kroc Center spokes-woman Denise Tanaka. “We want the community to know that we are here for them, and that we have art classes for all ages and interests. This is the first Art Night of hopefully many more. Our goal is to do three per year, at the end of each session.”

The fall art session begins next month and runs through December, with sessions also in the spring and summer. In partnership with Honolulu Museum of Art and making use of museum instructors, classes are being offered in drawing and painting for adults and youths, as well as an art exploration class for youths. Classes and workshops by Kroc instructors include oil painting, drawing, an introductory art class, graffiti and aerosol art, floral arranging, jewelry-making, makeup and stamping. Additionally, the center has an art club called Messy Monsters for keiki ages 3 to 5, and a Kroc Art Academy opening in September offering a classical art track and an urban art track, both geared to teens in grades 7 through 12.

For more information on Art Night or to view the fall program guide, visit KrocCenterHawaii.org, or contact Alyssa Hudson at 693-8356 or alyssa.hudson@usw.salvationarmy.org.