CelebrARTy: Artists, celebrities mix it up
Teams create unique art for progressive fundraiser for Access Arts on September 6 at The Blue Note
Unique art pieces created by eight local celebrity and artist pairings will be auctioned off at the Access Arts CelebrARTy fundraiser from 5:30-9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 6, at The Blue Note.
The event also includes a silent auction, beverages from Logboat, and appetizers from Room 38. All community members are invited to attend and to bid on the artwork and the plethora of silent auction items. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased at SchoolOfService.org/CelebrARTy. Local businesses may consider sponsoring one or more of the creative teams by calling 573-875-0275 or visiting the website.
Eight local artists and eight local celebrities are engaged in creative competition for the annual CelebrARTy progressive fundraiser, to benefit Access Arts. Each team created and organized a Maker Day event with no specific direction from Access Arts. The creations are unique and based around the medium the teams chose and the type of piece they wanted to ceate. Each piece will be auctioned off at the CelebrARTy fundraiser at The Blue Note.
Each Maker Day event was documented by a local videographer. The video vignettes will be debuted at the fundraiser.
The 2023 artist/celebrity pairs, listed with their Maker Day creation and videographer, are:
Team Stephanie and Sharyn
Stephanie Turner Goans (Edward Jones) and artist Sharyn Hyatt Wade, oil painting.
Videographer: Jet Ainsworth, Worthy Pictures
Maker Day: The team’s Maker Day event was just prior to the July First Friday in the North Village Arts District. The large modern oil painting they created was then on display at First Friday in Sharyn’s studio at Orr Street where the team raised both additional funds for Access Arts and awareness for the organization.
Team Violet and Jenny
Violet Vonder Haar (Compass Music) and artist Jenny McGee, mixed media painting.
Videographer: Tony Ousley, Mowjoe Productions
Maker Day: The team hosted an “Everybody Loves Color” event at Jenny McGee’s home in Hartsburg. Ticket sales for the event went toward Access Arts, a large-scale splash painting was created by all participants, and they also produced a music video.
Team David and Valerie
David Seamon (Columbia Public Schools) and artist Valerie Wedel, large-scale mixed-media collage.
Videographer: Matt Schacht, Peaceframe Productions
Maker Day: The team created a large collage based around the theme “Community.” David also arranged a composition to go with this piece.
Team Marty and Salem
Marty Wohlgemuth (Simmons Bank) and artist Salem Alhussain T-shirt quilt.
Videographer: Kyle Gilleland
Maker Day: They hosted a community event where participants brought in their own unique, special, or well-designed music festival t-shirts to Logboat Brewing. These t-shirts were then transformed into a large quilt or blanket by Marty and Salem. Salem is one of the Artists in Residence currently at Access Arts.
Team Janelle and Brian
Janelle Schultz (Veterans United) and artist Brian McMullen, clay tiles.
Videographer: Dustin Hawkins, Retro Hawk Productions
Maker Day: Janelle leveraged the VU community and hosted a private Maker Day event with VU colleagues. All participants were invited to customize ceramic tiles into planters, the tiles for which were previously created and molded by Janelle and Brian at the Access Arts clay studio. Brian is the ceramics program director at Access Arts.
Team Elizabeth and Brianna
Elizabeth Palmieri (GreenHouse Theatre Project) and artist Brianna Bogucki, blueberry and tea-stained paper collage.
Videographer: Aaron Phillips, Aaron Phillips Photography
Maker Day: The team held a paper collage event after hours at CoMo Rocks. Complete with a DJ and appetizers, this event raised funds for Access Arts and concluded with a beautifully unique collage.
Team Russ and Emmett
Russ Anderson (Anderson Homes) and artist Emmette Russell, steel fabrication.
Videographer: Sam Meinders and Emmett Russell.
Maker Day: The team created a steel grandfather clock together. Because this wasn’t really a group activity, there was no public event; however, their piece is rumored to be highly anticipated by many Anderson Home clients.
Team Mike and Riana
Mike Nolan (The Blue Note) and artist Riana Bovill, paper pulp pop art.
Videographer: Ismaeel Bilal, A Piece of You Productions
Maker Day: They created a paper pulp painting. What’s that, you say? The team dyed the paper pulp and asked attendants of a Sunday Brunch at Rose Music Hall to create bright pop art-inspired images together.
For more than 50 years, Access Arts has served the community by making art accessible to anyone regardless of age, ability or economic circumstance. Unique class offerings take place inside spacious studios with professional equipment and high-quality instructors.
Access Arts has been running CelebrARTy a total of 7 years, including this one. The whole thing started in 2014, but then we took a break for 2 years due to Covid. Last year was the first year we brought it back to life, and it was our most successful event to date in terms of funds raised for the programming and services offered by Access Arts.
Get to know the CelebrARTy teams in this Q&A.
CelebrARTy Team Members: Stephanie Goans and Sharyn Hyatt
What medium did you select to work with and why? Please describe the project.
Sharyn: We were lucky, as Stephanie was naturally drawn to the look of oil on canvas and that is my preferred medium!
What intrigued you most about this opportunity? Briefly describe your own artistic background.
Stephanie: Zero, zilch, nada. That’s why I was willing to stretch myself and try something new.
Give some examples (locations, specific works, etc.) of your work that Columbia residents might be familiar with.
Sharyn: My studio/gallery is at Orr Street Studios (106 Orr Street) where I enjoy the the company of 20 other residing artists. On Saturday, September 23rd there will be an Opening Reception at Montminy Gallery (3801 Ponderosa Street, Columbia) where I will be exhibiting a large body of current work.
What is your connection to and interest in Access Arts?
Sharyn: As an art instructor for almost 40 years, I continue to advocate for art education. And it doesn’t hurt that I am very close to one of the board members!
What is your connection to and interest in Access Arts?
Stephanie: Kate Stull is hard to say no to.
Describe the creative process for this project – from concept and design to achieving a finished work.
Sharyn: Stephanie and I experimented with pigment and process so we could figure out what style we wanted to do. Then one moment Stephanie looked up at one of my oil pieces hanging in my studio. She said, “That’s what I really like.” At that moment I knew that we were going to lean into a quiet, minimal, sophisticated way of working.
She was going to have to handle oil paints like a pro … no room for short cuts or gimmicks. And she was going to have to tackle classic composition. (I may or may not have had a swig of rum at that point – ha!) But we dove in and Stephanie was a natural! She chose a large square format with a modernist approach and unexpected colors. She was an absolute joy to work with!
What did you learn during the process? Did anything surprise you? (If so, what?)
Stephanie: I’m blown away at how much goes into it. The creative juices (aka rum) need to be flowing and surprisingly you need to use a lot of white paint which I never would have guessed when working with a white canvas.
What words of wisdom do you have for local celebrities or artists who might consider participating in future CelebrARTY creative projects?
Sharyn: There’s a rather short time frame for creating so plan accordingly.
Stephanie: If you like to follow instructions and control situations, this is not for you. Just kidding, kind of.
CelebrARTy Team Members: Janelle Schultz and Brian McMullen
What medium did you select to work with and why? Please describe the project.
Brian: Our project is ceramic, and we chose this medium because of my position at Access Arts. With access to the clay studio, Janelle and I wanted to create a few large, sculptural, yet functional ceramic pieces. Through several brainstorming sessions, we landed on a project that involved members of the Veterans United community, coming together to help create the building blocks for what would become large planter vessels.
What intrigued you most about this opportunity? Briefly describe your own artistic background.
Janelle: I was most intrigued by the opportunity to connect with other members of the Columbia community and to represent Veterans United Home Loans in the process. Like many people, my artistic background consists of the various art classes we had growing up in school. I was lucky enough to have some pretty fantastic teachers that made art interesting, accessible, and fun.
Give some examples (locations, specific works, etc.) of your work that Columbia residents might be familiar with.
Brian: I used to fabricate tap handles for Logboat Brewing Company. These were made with Black Walnut and brass and used in the brewery tap room as well as numerous restaurants and bars in Columbia and across Missouri.
What is your connection to and interest in Access Arts?
Janelle: I have no direct connection to Access Arts. My connection is through the care, compassion, and opportunities they offer to those in our community, more specifically, our Veterans. At Veterans United, we genuinely care for those who have served and those we work alongside with each day. That is the essence of Access Arts – building connection with people in our community and serving them well.
Brian: I was recently hired by Access Arts as the Clay Studio Manager for the Cottle Drive location.
Describe the creative process for this project – from concept and design to achieving a finished work.
Brian: Our process was very organic, it involved no sketches or plans. It all started with the idea of involving many people and centered around the theme of positive growth in our community. While we didn’t know what the end product would look like, it was decided that the best way to showcase “growth” was with a large vessel that living plants would be grown in. Janelle and I made hundreds of clay tiles that were taken to an event at one of the Veterans United offices.
The VU employees tapped into their creative side to help us decorate the tiles with words, designs, patterns and texture. Once back at the studio, Janelle and I worked in tandem, assembling all the tiles layer by layer in what would become three large planters! The forms are organic in nature, which also reflects our process. The planters were carefully slow dried over several weeks, then fired one at a time in an electric kiln. After the first bisque firing, the planters were glazed and loaded into the Access Arts Olsen 16 gas kiln. The atmospheric firing process creates a unique environment for spontaneity in the finished pieces.
What did you learn during the process? Did anything surprise you? (If so, what?)
Janelle: Art is a labor of love. There is so much creativity, time, and thought that goes into each piece. It’s also very freeing! Give yourself grace and the space to create, without overthinking the outcome or needing everything to be perfect.
What words of wisdom do you have for local celebrities or artists who might consider participating in future CelebrARTY creative projects?
Brian: It is a great way to get out into the community and share your creative knowledge and passion for the arts with others. When working with others in a collaborative situation, it was nice to do a project that pushed me outside my comfort zone. By implementing a process that is different from my general studio practice, I found that I was approaching the project with the same level of excitement and uncertainty as my Celebrity partner.
Janelle: Go for it! Community is so important. This is an opportunity to try something new, meet new people, and learn more about Access Arts.
For both the artist and celebrity: Please share any other observations or comments you’d like to add.
Bringing one of the ‘making’ portions of this project out into the community, I was surprised by how many people were afraid to participate at first. Most people would say “I’m not an artist” or “I’m not creative” when Janelle and I were trying to solicit tile decorators. With some gentle prodding from Janelle, people came around and ended up having fun! The greatest thing about Access Arts is that we offer creative learning experiences for EVERYONE. From the beginner to the advanced artist, all are welcome in the Access Arts studios. In keeping with the organization’s initial vision, the student body still includes people of all ages, from all walks of life, and every ability level.
On a side note, I believe it would be nice to include the filmmakers as part of the team from the very beginning. It was awesome working with Dustin Hawkins, and he contributed immensely to the creativity of our project.
CelebrARTy Team Members: Marty Wohlgemuth and Salem Alhussaini
What intrigued you most about this opportunity? Briefly describe your own artistic background.
Marty: My artistic background has been mostly as an appreciator of art rather than a maker. I love to experience art but it’s been a long time since I’ve really been part of the creative process. This invitation from Access Arts was the kick in the pants I needed to get that spark back. Salem’s passion and excitement are contagious so I couldn’t wait to jump into this project.
What is your connection to and interest in Access Arts?
Marty: Access Arts has been a part of my family for years. All of my kids have taken classes and attended camps. My wife was a board member and I’ve volunteered. Art can have a profound impact on people’s lives and Access Arts really makes those creative experiences available or everyone, regardless of needs or abilities.
What did you learn during the process? Did anything surprise you? (If so, what?)
Marty: I learned to use a sewing machine! I was surprised (but shouldn’t have been) by how supportive the community and my friends have been through this process. And I was surprised by how much I had missed having a creative outlet. That’s definitely something I’ll keep as a priority in my life.
CelebrARTy Team Members: Elizabeth Palmieri and Brianna Bogucki
What medium did you select to work with and why? Please describe the project.
Brianna: We worked with tea and blueberry-stained watercolor papers and magazine/periodical clippings. I am a multimedia artist, but I always feel a strong sense of narrative and storytelling with my collage works so it felt like the perfect method for this project.
Elizabeth: We did collage. A major focus of Brianna’s work is rooted in collage and I have been a fan of hers for years. I like the complexion of arranging pre-created images in a format to tell a new story. Brianna prepped materials, we gathered magazines with inspiring imagery and created our collaborative collage at our event at COMO Rocks Climbing Gym while guests climbed, created their own collages and chilled to the tunes of DJ SMOOVE. Special thanks to Broadway Brewery for wetting our whistles while we worked. (I know this question was for the artist, but I added my two cents too.
Give some examples (locations, specific works, etc.) of your work that Columbia residents might be familiar with.
Brianna: I’ve shown my work in a few locations around Columbia, including the Sidney Larson Gallery at Columbia College, Sager Reeves Gallery, and a solo exhibition at Uprise Bakery!
What intrigued you most about this opportunity? Briefly describe your own artistic background.
Elizabeth: Art speaks to art. Even though the majority of my work is in the live performance realm, I am constantly inspired by art in all categories when creating my work. Collaborating with visual artists, musicians, filmmakers, dancers, etc. is at the heart of my storytelling. I have also dabbled in visual art all my life and I know the therapeutic effects it’s had on me. We are born to make and create with our hands, weaving our imagination into form. Growing up, having access to art classes in all genres was detrimental to my happiness and well-being. I cannot imagine where I would be without those formative experiences.
What is your connection to and interest in Access Arts?
Brianna: As a former early childhood educator and artist, I think it’s so important to make art education accessible regardless of your experience. I feel very luck to live in a town with an organization like Access Arts that shares that same sentiment.
Elizabeth: When I first met my now husband we were in college at a small liberal arts school in Minnesota. That summer, I went off to be a camp counselor In Michigan at Interlochen Arts Camp and Wil lived in Columbia with his sister. He worked several jobs and among them was teaching a clay class at Access Arts. He would send me letters detailing his students and his inspirational boss, the director of Acess Arts at the time, Naoma. This was my introduction to not only Columbia, but also the importance of Access Arts in this community. Little did I know that years later I would move to this town and be inspired yet again by the heart and soul of Naoma’s work in the community. Her spirit shines on through this institution.
Brianna: We knew we wanted to take a minimalistic approach with the phrase “art saves” in mind. As creatives ourselves, we know that art can really be a lifeboat for people, whether you are consuming it or creating it. With that sentiment in mind, we found clippings that spoke to this idea and got to work with the composition! Creating this piece in a public setting as other folks were collaging in the same space really offered another level of collaboration and inspiration that was so welcomed.
What did you learn during the process? Did anything surprise you? (If so, what?)
Elizabeth: Paper cutting takes an intense amount of precision and focus. It isn’t as casual as throwing paint onto a canvas. There is a great amount of care and thoughtfulness that goes into it. Not to mention selecting imagery. Narrowing that down was a challenge, but having a time constraint (2 hours) helped.
What words of wisdom do you have for artists and local celebrities who might consider participating in future CelebrARTY creative projects?
Brianna: I would say don’t be unnerved by the limitations and allow them to fuel your creative process instead! I often see my art as meditation and hold it very closely to myself, so the idea of creating a piece collaboratively within 24 hours and knowing it would be in a public setting was terrifying to me at first.
However, I think working with Elizabeth and our maker’s event attendees really reminded me about the magic of creation and connection, both from a participating and observing standpoint. I don’t think we would’ve felt the same inspiration if we were to have worked privately instead of holding a public maker’s event; letting folks in on our process & witnessing others find joy in creating was truly my favorite part of this project.
Eilzabeth: Have fun with the fundraising aspect. Challenge yourself to create events that inspire the people you involve.
CelebrARTy Team Members: David Seamon and Val Wedel
What medium did you select to work with and why? Please describe the project.
Val: Our team created a collage on painted Masonite hardboard. The concept is based on the idea of “community,” so we included a lot of imagery related to Columbia.
What intrigued you most about this opportunity? Briefly describe your own artistic background.
David: I wouldn’t consider myself to be artistic. I’m mostly a stick figure guy, but I do like getting creative and putting messaging in art. So, the opportunity to work with a professional artist on a creative project, for a good cause, was too much to pass up.
Give some examples (locations, specific works, etc.) of your work that Columbia residents might be familiar with.
Val: I collaborated with the Missouri Contemporary Ballet to create a set for their piece called “Falling.” The troupe performed the piece several times over the past 15 years.
What is your connection to and interest in Access Arts?
Val: I have been involved with Access Arts in various capacities over the past 23 years. I’ve been a student, a teacher, and CelebrARTY artist. I have also exhibited my work through Access.
David: Honestly, I didn’t know that Access Arts existed before working with Val.
Describe the creative process for this project – from concept and design to achieving a finished work.
Val: I knew we were going to do a collage, and I asked David what concept he wanted to focus on. I gathered as much printed material I could find related to the idea, so we would have a lot of options for imagery. I painted the background, featuring a modified Columbia skyline, so we would have a base to work from. We both cut out images, David picked the ones he wanted to use for the piece. He also laid them out and we both glued them to the board.
What words of wisdom do you have for artists and local celebrities who might consider participating in future CelebrARTY creative projects?
Val: Communication is key! Be playful!
David: If you’re considering being a part of CelebrARTY, do it! It doesn’t matter if you’re artistic, or if you have a predetermined vision for the project. It’s fun, doesn’t take very long, and I guarantee you’ll have a great time.
CelebrARTy Team Members: Mike Nolan and Riana Bovill
What medium did you select to work with and why? Please describe the project.
Riana: We decided to do a project that focused on papermaking because it’s such a fun and interesting process. It’s also a process that we felt could really engage the public during a “maker event.” We wanted to create artwork that embraced the spontaneity of making large sheets of paper, while also including an exciting extra step — pulp painting!
Our “maker event” was held in the outdoor space at Rose Music Hall, where we set up a huge mold and deckle, and had children and adults help us pour 30-inch by 40-inch sheets of paper. There were so many buckets of paper pulp to choose from, and we had a table filled with colorful pulp paints in squirt bottles. On the day of our event, we poured four sheets of paper, and had an amazing time engaging with the community, having fun, and teaching everyone a little bit about the process of papermaking.
What intrigued you most about this opportunity? Briefly describe your own artistic background.
Mike: I like to use the creative side of my brain as much as possible, so this sounded like a super fun opportunity! I loved taking art classes in high school and was also involved in theater growing up. Now, I’m fortunate enough to have a career in the arts and entertainment sector 🙂
Give some examples (locations, specific works, etc.) of your work that Columbia residents might be familiar with.
Riana: While I was a graduate student in the MFA program at Mizzou, I exhibited work at the George Caleb Bingham Gallery; and was also part of a two-person exhibition at Talking Horse Productions in Columbia.
What is your connection to and interest in Access Arts?
Riana: When I moved back to Columbia this past April I started volunteering with Access Arts. I helped with the Youth Fibers class, and also worked to prepare the gardens for summer planting. I am now their new Administrative Assistant, and absolutely love the sense of community that comes with working for Access Arts. It is an inclusive and welcoming place for students, community members, and employees.
Mike: The Blue Note partnered with Access Arts in quarter 1 of this year. We made a charitable donation to Access Arts and worked on an event with one of the artists in residence (Women’s Day of Music, back in March). It was really fun and immediately became a fan of Access Arts and everything they stand for!
Describe the creative process for this project – from concept and design to achieving a finished work.
Riana: We started the process by talking about some of the things Mike was interested in. The artwork he likes, the types of processes he wanted to try, and what kind of “maker event” we would like to have. The process of making paper depends heavily on the type of pulp you’re using, the size sheet you want to make, and what you’re eventually going to do with the paper. So, we had a lot of planning to do at the beginning, and came up with a project that was going to engage us all, and was doable in the time-frame we had.
Since the process of making paper is lengthy, we enlisted the help of Kailyn Hill, a senior art major at Mizzou who specializes in printmaking and papermaking. In the fibers studio at Mizzou, me, Mike, Kailyn, and Ismaeel–our filmmaker–worked together as a team, and poured our first test sheet of paper as a group. Armed with buckets of colorful pulp, we poured in tandem and then let the pulp paints fly! That was such a cool moment, and we all knew that this process would make a great “maker event” at Rose Music Hall. And it did!
Everyone who participated had fun, and we were so pleased that the paper turned out beautifully. With the exception of one sheet, the large sheets of paper made during our “maker event” were left untouched. But, with that one piece of paper we just couldn’t help ourselves, and decided to take it back to the fibers studio and have a little more fun with pulp paints!
What did you learn during the process? Did anything surprise you? (If so, what?)
Mike: Making paper is way more involved than I ever could have imagined. It was really cool to learn that you can almost treat it like paint.
What words of wisdom do you have for artists or local celebrities who might consider participating in future CelebrARTY creative projects?
Rianna: A really great part of this process is that you can step away from your own studio practice and approach this project in a totally different way. A lot of my work involves careful planning and a meticulous eye for detail, so I loved working on this project with Mike because we were really spontaneous. It took me out of my comfort zone, and now I find myself really excited to make large sheets of paper. It’s so much more fun making these big sheets in a group setting!
Mike: It’s super cool! Do it!
CelebrARTy Team Members: Violet VonderHaar and Jenny McGee
What medium did you select to work with and why? Please describe the project.
Jenny: I chose to work with acrylic paint and paint powder on canvas. We invited friends and family to come over to my house to create a fun community abstract painting.
What intrigued you most about this opportunity? Briefly describe your own artistic background.
Violet: Although most folks know me as a musician, I also have always loved all things Fine Arts. I often turn to mixed media, collaging and graphic design as ways of de-stressing and as a way to get creative in a way that is not music related. For the last 2 years, I have been fully consumed with getting the Compass Music Center up off the ground. It has been such a rewarding experience, but also has taken most of my creative energy and attention. When I was approached by Access Arts about this opportunity, I felt like it would be a perfect way to branch out of my music world and community, collaborate with other artists and try something completely new. I loved the mystery and idea of what could happen and who I would have the opportunity to connect with if I said yes, and I’m SO glad I did, as this whole process has been so much fun and rewarding!
Give some examples (locations, specific works, etc.) of your work that Columbia residents might be familiar with.
Jenny: Some people might be familiar with my collage work that celebrates special local places in Columbia in the Midwest. You can find them at Plume, Poppy, Mizzou bookstore, Como Rocks, SCHMO, and the Boone County history center. Some people might be familiar with my abstract paintings as well. I currently have a show at the Boone County history center displaying a series of abstract paintings. It will be up until September.
What is your connection to and interest in Access Arts?
Violet: The Arts are the glue that holds a community together, it’s a way for people to process, inspire, form community, express and just have fun. Organizations like Access Arts that provide safe spaces to learn and be creative will always have my support and interest.
Jenny: Access arts is a wonderful organization that offers super fun art classes and ways to express your creativity in Columbia. I was excited to support them.
What did you learn during the process? Did anything surprise you? (If so, what?)
Violet: Our piece was a collaborative community piece that we also filmed as a music video. I played guitar while we had people through color powder at me, my guitar and the canvas behind me. When trying to figure out the best way to get the paint powder to stick to my guitar, Jenny suggested I used a product called gesso. Seems like a standard primer product I should have been aware of, but I had never used it before, and I’m excited to try it on different paint projects in the future!
Describe the creative process for this project – from concept and design to achieving a finished work.
Jenny: Tony, Violet, and I joined forces in a brainstorming session, setting out to craft a striking abstract community painting that harmonized with Violet’s newest song, “Everybody Wants Something.” Tony’s remarkable vision took shape on video, and we opted for my backyard as the canvas—a place where we could embrace our creative instincts fully. With paint flying and splattering, it was a vibrant burst of expression that left us with a colorful explosion on the canvas.
Once the paint dried, I handpicked specific segments from the artwork to showcase and frame for auction at the Access Art fundraiser.
What words of wisdom do you have for artists or local celebrities who might consider participating in future CelebARTY creative projects?
Violet: Say Yes! It’s always a good idea to step out of your comfort zone, meet new people and get creative! #noregrets
Jenny: Have fun and be yourself! It is a fantastic idea to raise money for a great local cause.