Gwen Smith

Celebrity Artists have varied art experience

Some of the 2002 Children's Art Bazaar Celebrity Artists had a lot of art experience. Others had virtually none.

But, the 26 Celebrity Artists of 2002 now have one thing in common. Each had one of their paintings selected by a panel of 36 judges from among nearly 1,400 entries.

The CAB is a local non-profit group that recognizes and promotes art by St. Louis area kids. It has been operating since 1949.

Eleven-year-old Gwen Smith is a 5th grader at Bristol Elementary in Webster Groves. She said she started doing art projects "a long, long time ago." She has an aunt in North Carolina who is a professional artist.

Gwen said she liked the idea of having her self-portrait selected. But, she added, "I didn't think it was the best thing I'd ever done."

One thing that was different about Gwen's self-portrait was that she wasn't wearing glasses. "I'm going to get contract lenses this summer so I preferred not to have glasses in the painting," she said.

She was one of three kids in Teacher Linda Harre's art class named a 2002 CAB Celebrity Artist. All of them did self-portraits, using acrylic paints on canvas.

Micah Johnson

Classmate Micah Johnson comes from a family with some art background. "My cousin, Rae Sharp, is an artist. For birthdays and holidays, we get together and decorate things for the parties," she said.

The coloring in Micah's self-portrait turned out different than she planned.

"When I mixed the paint for my skin color, I saw that it was darker than my skin. But, then I decided it represented my race better," she said.

Both Gwen and Micah used folding mirrors so they could look at themselves while painting their self-portraits.

Vinnie Raimondo

But, 11-year-old Vinnie Raimondo said he did his portrait without a portable mirror or a picture of himself. "Except, I went to the bathroom mirror a couple times to get my eye color right," he said.

Eight-year-old Lauren Grimm of Spoede Elementary in Creve Coeur said her Celebrity Art entry was her first try at painting. Despite her lack of experience, her still-life vase of flowers on a checked tablecloth attracted a lot of attention from the CAB judges.

Asked about the subject of the painting, Lauren said, "I made it all up." And, when asked about what kind of flowers she painted, she added, "I don't know. I made them up too."

Like most of the other Celebrity Artists, Lauren had her entry professionally framed. It now hangs in her family's downstairs family room. She's also having three T-shirts silk-screened with her picture as the illustration.

She said, "We bought three T-shirts. One is for me and the other two for my little sisters, Natalie and Olivia." She said her T-shirt is extra-large so she can wear it for sleeping.

Lauren Grimm

Ten-year-old Eric Mullis is another Celebrity Artist at Spoede School. He's a 4th grader.

His painting of a tennis player in action has a style that reminded his art teacher, Jim Boland, of that used by the famous sports artist Leroy Neiman.

Eric said he'd done a lot of art projects when he was younger. But, he added, "I hadn't drawn all that much."

He said his painting was with acrylic paints on paper. Some of the paint was pre-mixed. But, he said he made his own shade of green. "I mixed yellow and blue paint. Then, I'd add a little more yellow and a little more blue until I got the grass color I wanted," he said.

He said his family also has the framed picture in its family room. They ordered eight T-shirts. One for each of the four family members and "one for my best friend, Greg Wilhelm." The other three are for grand-parents.

Eric Mullis

Micah Johnson of Bristol School said the selection of her painting as Celebrity Art makes her want to consider a career in art. Asked about making a living, she said, "I think I might be able to make it for a year or two."

But, she's also considering a career in medicine or as a clothes designer.

Vinnie Raimondo said, "I don't have a future in art. I hope I have a future in basketball."

Gwen Smith said, "I want to write and draw as hobbies. But, I want to be a marine biologist."

Neither Spoede School artists were looking for a career in art. Lauren Grimm said she was too young to think about a career. Eric Mullis said, "I sort of want to be an architect."

26 named 2002 CAB Celebrity Artists. Twenty-six St. Louis-area elementary school kids have been named 2002 Children's Art Bazaar Celebrity Artists. A team of 36 judges made final selections they said best represented the range of talent in the nearly 1,400 entries. Artwork of the 26 CAB Celebrity Artists will be framed and reproduced for sale. Proceeds will be used to continue an art program which began in 1949. Some of the reproductions were used to illustrate T-shirts. The 26 Celebrity Artists (listed alphabetically) and their school are: Jack Bowe, Christ Prince of Peace Zach Caringer, Wyland Elementary Ben Castro, Our Lady of the Piller John Cline, Reed School Sara Cook, JL Mudd Elementary Mandy DeWitt, Bowles Elementary Colleen Evans, Our Lady of the Piller Mara Fuller, Christ Prince of Peace Miles Glixman, Clark Elementary Zachary Gloyd, Lincoln Elementary Lauren Grimm, Spoede Elementary Rachael Hudson, Athena Elementary Micah Johnson, Bristol Elementary Chad Jones, Zitzman Elementary Emily King, Lewis & Clark Elementary Patrick Landwehr, Claymont Elementary Salena Maurer, Avery School Eric Mullis, Spoede Elementary Jessica Pagano, Athena Elementary Cheyenne Peek, Benton School Kelly Popelar, Claymont Elementary Brian Quasebarth, Bowles Elementary Vinnie Raimondo, Bristol Elementary Gwen Smith, Bristol Elementary Hanna Thomas, Claymont Elementary Billy Wilson, McGrath Elementary