A family art free-for-all

Lindsay Sandham

Whether it’s a day at the beach, a picnic or a family barbecue,

Father’s Day is about spending time together as a family and doing

something special for dad.

Kids of all ages applied their artistic abilities to arts and

crafts making for their fathers Sunday at the Orange County Museum of

Art’s free family arts day.

Titled “Faces and Places: My American Scene,” the event gives

amateurs the opportunity to emulate select American masters by

creating a portrait or a landscape like those in the museum’s current

exhibit “Villa America: American Moderns 1900 -- 1950.”

“It’s a way to bring families into the museum and give them an

experience,” said Timothy Tompkins, manager of interpretive programs

at the museum. “We try to do two family-arts days with each new

show.”

Victoria Thomas, 12, worked on a picture frame for her father.

“He likes surfing and I kind of wanted to do something with the

ocean,” she said, pointing to the magazine photo of a seal that she

planned on mounting inside the completed frame.

Carrie Wilson, a teacher for family arts days, said one of her

goals is for the event not to feel like school, especially since she

teaches art classes full-time at Bellflower High School.

“It’s nice for them just to have an environment with supplies

where they can create and enjoy,” she said. “Most kids, if you give

them cool stuff, they make interesting projects.”

Guests were entertained with the music of Razzle Bam Boom, a band

whose music is geared toward teaching kids about the history of

American music.

Sunday also marked the first day of “Sunday Studio” at the museum

-- free and informal drawing sessions open to people of all ages and

experience levels.

“We’re not interested in how it turns out, but rather that [the

guests] enjoy their experience,” said Shelby Hammond, a professional

artist who was hired to teach the Sunday classes.

“This is really kind of a neat opportunity because a lot of times

they don’t allow drawing at a gallery,” Hammond observed as Cassandra

Tompkins, 11, and Nicola Roberts, 7, drew their own interpretation of

Walt Kuhn’s “Roberto,” the chosen cover piece for the “Villa America”

exhibit.

“My dad’s an artist,” said Cassandra, to explain where she likely

developed her affinity for art. “I like to paint with many colors,

like Impressionism.”

The next family arts day is tentatively scheduled for

mid-September, before the current exhibit ends Oct. 2.

For more information on the museum, its exhibits and its art

classes, visit https://www.ocma.net or call (949) 759-1122.