Career Art Path sparks creativity in young artists

Zachary Carpenter is an upcycle artist.

“I pick up items I think might be interesting,” Carpenter said June 13 during the second week of the Doña Ana Arts Council’s (DAAC) 34^th Career Art Path (CAP) program at Cruces Creatives makerspace.

Carpenter demonstrated for the 23 CAP students, ages 11-15, how he uses doorknobs, pill bottles, broken toys, drawer pulls, candy tins, pieces of wire and a wide range of other things to make “something completely different.” He may even add lights and sound.

After his presentation, CAP students began making their own art, using his recommendations to “pre-draw and practice first.” CAP teacher Lisa Carlson and Cruces Creatives provided metal, plastic, cardboard, art supplies and other tools for their creations.

This is the eighth time Carlson, a long-time Las Cruces artist and art teacher, has taught CAP.

“I just love it,” she said. “The kids that in here, they want to go deep.”

The two-week class continued through June 16, when students presented the art they created at an art show at Cruces Creatives, 205 E. Lohman Ave.

Carpenter was among more than a dozen artists demonstrating their work during CAP 2023. Others included Aaron Valenzuela and Anahy Nuñez of Atom Bomb Studio Tattoo in Las Cruces (they were Carlson’s assistants when she taught CAP for the first time 20 years ago), Mary Diesel, DAAC Executive Director Araceli Solis, Chris Bardey, Heathy J. Murphy, Barbara Houghton, Theresa and Daniel Balsadua of TCMB Design in Las Cruces, Angelica Jones and Karen Conley.

“There’s a different medium every day,” Carlson said.

CAP was the brainchild of Marion Wolle.  She and her husband, Jordan, supported CAP and saw their investment in the arts matched by IBM for a number of years.

Visit https://daarts.org/.