Artists Called to Library for Youth Art Month

Artists of all talent levels are invited to the library this weekend for drawing practice with a local artist and cartoonist. Phil Yeh will lead the drawing class on Saturday, March 7 in the Kellogg Room A at the Feldheym Library. 555 W. Sixth Street in San Bernardino, from 2 to 5 p.m. in observance of National Youth Art Month in March. The class, designed to help the new and advanced student, is open to individuals ages 10 and above. It will also encourage artists to use the library to increase drawing abilities. Yeh will assist participants in creating their own characters. Yeh began publishing in 1970 at the age of 16 and has written and illustrated more than 90 books, comics and graphic novels. He published one of the first American graphic novels in 1977 and is known as the Godfather of the Modern American Graphic Novel. While still in high school, Yeh started Eastwind Studios to both sell his work and to publish his magazines and books. He was designing t-shirts, pottery, leatherwork, comics, murals, and painting in watercolors and oils at his first studio location in Anaheim. Yeh has had solo shows in galleries in San Francisco, Carmel, and New York City and has been a part of group shows in Hawaii, Arizona, and California. In 2006, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History had a five-month exhibition of Yeh's original oil paintings from his best-selling book, "Theo the Dinosaur." His latest work includes a series of watercolors and fine art prints representing cities around the world that have some meaning for him. Youth Art Month was founded in 1961 and is an annual observance each March to emphasize the value of art and art education for all children and to encourage support for quality school art programs. Some of the goals of Youth Art Month are to recognize art as a necessity for the full development of better quality of life for all; direct attention to the value of art education for divergent and critical thinking; expand art programs in schools and stimulate new art programs; encourage commitment to the arts by students, community organizations, and individuals everywhere; provide additional opportunities for individuals of all ages to participate in creative art learning; and to increase community understanding and interest in art and art education through involvement in art exhibits, workshops, and other creative ventures. For more information on the workshop call 909-381-8238 or visit www.sbpl.org For more information on Youth Art Month, visit http://www.arteducators.org/news/yam.