Sedona residents can now show their support for art programs for youth by purchasing a unique and art-themed shirt, hat, or sticker created by a local artist and entrepreneur.
Kindergartner Lucas Pico paints with acrylics during Art for Kids' camp at Sedona Arts Center
Cornville Desert Star Community School 3rd grader, Arianna Harness, with her fused glass creation made in an Art for Kids' class
Sedona Art Supply has joined forces with Kerry Bober in a special fund-raising sale to help support Sedona’s own nonprofit Art For Kids’ classes and camps. Bober contacted Zenna MacGregor, volunteer director of Art For Kids, right before the holidays about the line of T-shirts and hats she designed, offering to donate a percentage of the profit to Art For Kids. MacGregor said she jumped at the chance. She said the project is a reflection of Art For Kids’ motto: “Where teaching art is a work of heart.”
“The timing was perfect because with the economy so slow, families don’t have extra money to send their children to art programs after-school and on the weekends, so many of Sedona’s children are not getting regular weekly visual art classes. Classes that used to fill up with a waitlist are not getting enough children enrolled to be able to run,” MacGregor said. Sedona Art Supply owner Tim Hurley, MacGregor’s husband, was more than happy to cooperate in the effort. “It made perfect sense to sell these products at the store,” he said. “They are colorful, art-themed and fun.” The store decided to match Bober’s donation in order to make an even bigger difference.
Together they will donate 20% of all profits of the colorful hats and shirts to Art For Kids. There are a variety of shirts to choose from, including children’s sizes in fuschia and turquoise, women’s cut and men’s in black, plus lavender, green, Sedona red and navy embroidered hats. Shirts are 100% cotton silk-screened and pre-shrunk in sizes from XS-XL. Shirts cost $17.99, hats are $19.99, and weather-proof stickers are $1.99. “Today you hear a lot about budget cuts in schools and typically the arts is one of the first programs to get cut,” Bober said. “I like to give back to my community in a way that makes a difference for art education. It feels good.”
“As a child growing up, art was such a huge part of my enjoyment and well-being so today, anyway, if I can support this for a youngster I am happy to do so,” she said.
