​As the Helper Arts Festival officially starts on Friday afternoon, Thursday was a time for pre-event celebration as the Youth Art Exhibit, which will be featured at the Helper Mining Museum through Labor Day, held an award ceremony for outstanding young artists from the area.
This Year at the Helper Arts Festival, the next generation of local artists have taken front and center as the festivities kicked off with an art exhibit and award ceremony for local children and teens ranging from third grade to seniors in High School. Over one hundred pieces were submitted and hung for display in the Helper Mining Museum. Mchale Tallerico Took honors for best in show, while Bonnie Haibar was awarded “most promising young artist.”
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The awards ceremony was followed by a time of refreshments and a meet and greet artist banquet at the Helper Pool with a sampling of wine and cheeses, also a time to get to know some of the artists, and a time to enjoy the entertainment.
The community may view all pieces on the second floor of the museum through Labor Day as a chance to support the future talents of the Castle Valley. Many creative pieces are featured in the exhibit, and the community is encouraged to enjoy what the youth has dreamed into reality.
“I took this over in March, and so I had little time to get the information out to other teachers, but I have been surprised with the support from local artists and teachers getting the art here and on display.” said Bernice Robertson, youth art show coordinator and teacher at Pinnacle Canyon Academy in Price.
“It all started coming together and so it was a huge relief.” she said.
​More Children’s art may be viewed at the children’s art yard at the festival and the train mural being constructed next to the museum where eighty four local youth were brought together and taught different glazing and art techniques to help bring their piece into the mural which will be finished in early September.
”We used to have the children’s art exhibit in the auditorium, and no one would really see it,” said Festival Director Jenny Fontana. В “This year we really tried to focus on the kid’s and we moved it down the street, into the museum. Leading up to the festival we held an вЂart in the park’ event to get them really excited for the festival where the kids created all of this great art. So the kids are really involved this year.”
​This year’s festival will feature over sixty four different artist and vendors, a beer garden and a slew of free concerts in the main street park for the community to listen to.
“We have a couple of favorites coming in from years past,” said volunteer Mark Montoya, “Old Californio, who closed out the Saturday night concerts and everyone was really blown away.”
​The opening artists banquet has been a staple in the storied tradition of the festival, but this is the fourth year they’ve held it and the Helper city pool. What before was a great time to meet one another and a time for ballroom dancing, has since changed to a time outside to enjoy the summer air and have social interactions lubricated with select wines and cheeses. This year the banquet also featured a new branch of entertainment, belly dancing. The eclectic tradition of art is not lost, in fact it is alive and well at the festival, rumors of drum circles on Sunday afternoon and an “open mic” afternoon for the local artists not on the schedule, ensures that all forms of art and expressions are heard and appreciated.
The ​awards are as follows:
3rd through 6th grade division
First Place: Matthew Chidister
Second Place: Lexie Carmichael
Third Place: Gianna Bruno
Honorable Mention: Gianna Bruno
Mayor’s Choice: Gianna Bruno
Certificate of Merit: Quinn Jones
Certificate of Merit: Maleah Mascarenas
Certificate of Merit: Anastasia Gomez
7th Through 9th Grade division
First Place: Mchale Tallerico
Second Place: Aajah Breinholt
Third Place: Danni Noyes
Honerable Mention: Mitchell Olsen
Mayor’s Choice: Chantyl Henrie
Certificate of Merit: Sam Paraday
Certificate of Merit: Haley Sheppard
Certificate of Merit: Mchale Tallerico
Certificate of Merit: Matt Harman
Certificate of Merit: Haley Sheppard
Certificate of Merit: Abby Larsen
Certificate of Merit: Brian Marquez
Certificate of Merit: Denise Ramirez
Certificate of Merit: Emily Webster
10th through 12th grade division
First Place: Jocee Heil
Second Place: Bonnie Haibar
Third Place: Kenny Carmack
Honerable Mention: Sky Winder
Mayor’s Choice: Bonnie Haibar
Certificate of Merit: Ashton Ellis
Most Promising Student: Bonnie Haibar
Best of Show: Mchale Tallerico
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