Goodyear teens to learn from professional artist

By Mary Goldmeer
Mail

A Teen Art Pop-Up experience will take place Wednesday, Feb. 19, at the Goodyear Recreation Center, giving the opportunity to create art and learn from a professional artist featured in the library's Fine Art Show.

The event, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in GRC Classroom 2, is open to residents ages 12-17, whether they are experienced artists or just beginning to explore their creativity.

“It’s really cool experience, they get to learn from a professional artist that’s showcased in our city,” said Layne Ruiz, art and culture coordinator for the City of Goodyear.

The event will be led by featured artist Philip Gabriel Steverson. Steverson is a Phoenix-based interdisciplinary artist specializing in fabric art, acrylic painting, and mixed media. A 2022 graduate of Arizona State University with degrees in Fashion Design and Poetry, Steverson’s work explores emotional healing, grief, and the manipulation of space, blending visual arts with personal experiences and a deep connection to memory and materiality.

The workshop will focus on textile-based creativity, where participants will brainstorm and create collage-style artworks inspired by characters and scenes from their imagination. Fabric provided by Steverson will be available for attendees to use, either by working with pre-cut materials or selecting from a curated fabric assortment.

Each participant will have the chance to create a unique artwork, whether it’s a landscape, abstract composition, or something else entirely.

The event is part of an ongoing collaboration with the Sedona Arts Center, which has partnered with the City of Goodyear for several years. The Sedona Arts Center’s “Vision & Sound: An African American Experience” will run from Feb. 7 to 28, 2025, in Goodyear. The event celebrates the achievements of Black artists from across Arizona.

“We’ve been lucky enough to partner with Sedona Arts Center for the last few years on this, and so Sedona Arts connects a lot of our West Valley cities in this program, which is amazing. We’re so excited to be a part of it. Sedona Arts provides the artists and artwork and coordinates bringing the artists out to interact with the community,” Ruiz said.

Teens interested in the workshop can register for the event, which offers a chance to explore artistic techniques and collaborate in a supportive environment.

The event will take place at the Goodyear Recreation Center, located at 420 Estrella Parkway.

Visit goodyearaz.gov or more information.