Students Get Lessons in Art and Life

Young students gathered Saturday afternoon, March 7 at the Norman F. Feldheym Public library in San Bernardino to learn a little something about art. Cartoonist Phil Yeh gave lessons about art: its importance, his experiences with art, and a few technique lessons, of course. Yeh spoke to the audience about his own youth and how art had an impact on his life. In his youth, Yeh was encouraged by his father to become an engineer - however, he shared, he has always felt inspired to create. Yeh encouraged the students to draw, paint and get ideas from their everyday lives. He expressed how he feels originality is important. For students like Andrew Roland, originality will come of good use someday. Roland said, “I came (to this class) because I want to learn how to draw, so I can be an architect when I grow up.” Others, however, came to the class to expand their knowledge on their hobby. Kaylee Jones, 10, shared that she was informed of the event by her grandmother and was immediately interested in attending the event. Yeh said he noticed how people started to lose their creativity as they get older, but that in reality, “anybody can do art." Saturday's event also included free comic books written and illustrated by Yeh to give attendees an idea on what they can do if they were to pursue art professionally, although the event also encouraged art for leisure time as many at the event claimed to do. Event-goers were eager to put their skills to the test as they were encouraged to draw flowers displayed in the front of the classroom. Additionally, Yeh created a magazine called “Uncle Jam” that shares creative and new ideas. The magazine celebrated its 40th anniversary not too long ago and along with this free magazine he also hands out free life advice to the kids; he encourages them to always “finish your work. Finish what you start.”