Arts from the Start, March 2025 Column for Iron County Today

My mother-in-law, Philomena Penny, reading to her great granddaughter, Rachel Lee.

 Arts from the Start Pays Off

by Sara Penny, CCAC Vice President

It is a lovely experience to read to a child. My husband and I enjoyed reading to our children from the time they were tiny. A fun family memory is sharing stories, especially the ones we made up in the car. Just as storytelling nurtures imagination and connection, participating in the visual and performing arts fosters important skills as well.  Being engaged in the arts helps with listening skills and attention to detail. These skills pay off for both jobs and relationships.

We also enjoyed going to museums and making art at home. One of the more memorable days was the Viking exhibit at the Natural History Museum. Our grandson loved talking with the actors who were telling stories in costume. It was fun to see how the sails on the ships functioned. My mother, Pauline Nelson, had filled our home with beautiful books and I remember the folk tales from the Vikings with dramatic illustrations. When I have to do something scary I wear my Swedish necklace to get a little courage from my ancestors.

Making art can be as simple as a blank paper and a pencil. My son and husband liked the "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" book as they refined their sketching abilities. The idea of turning the subject upside down to focus on the details was new to me.

At-home art activities for young children have been shown to help them control emotions. Using music to help calm down or lift spirits can be really useful. It is much easier to access all kinds of music than when I was a child. It can be a really valuable tool.  Calm down music like Eric Satie or lullabies is helpful. Happy music like polkas and brisk Vivaldi can help boost spirits. Singing along to your favorite song is a great idea.

Test scores show that students with access to arts in the home, school, and community have an advantage.  This could be the discipline of a long term project like learning an instrument.  I tell my students that playing the violin is more like a marathon than a sprint. It is definitely not an instant gratification experience. Learning to draw beautifully, write stories, sing in a choir, and dance also requires dedication and long term thinking.

Going to concerts and plays is a useful tool and we are fortunate in Cedar City to have so many options. This spring we will have choir and orchestra concerts, several plays, and many art exhibits. You can check our CedarCityArts social media for offerings. 

When we lived in Texas we were actively involved in community theater. Sometimes our small daughter attended only a half play or a half concert, if that was where her attention span started to waver. Soon she wanted to stay for full events. 

We have always loved outdoor arts festivals and that is why the Cedar City Arts Council continues the Final Friday Art Walks, which started in 2015. The Art Walks are from June through September on the last Friday of the month. Stay tuned for more details. We are already scheduling the musicians. If you want to participate contact cedarcityartscouncil@gmail.com

We hope you enjoy the arts available in Cedar City and we appreciate everyone involved in building our arts community.

Young Girl Reading by Fragonard, 1770, a favorite painting