St. Paul area young artists program seeks to spark lives of creativity

Kimaya Hernandez-Emery has always enjoyed art. But it wasn't until the Woodbury High School senior's monarch butterfly dress was chosen to be displayed at a recent show that she felt like an artist.

Her dress, the first she's ever made, won the top award at the show, put on by Emerging Young Artists-St. Paul.

"I love art and I think it's always going to be a part of my life," Hernandez-Emery said.

That's the idea, say officials with COMPAS, a nonprofit arts education organization that seeks to spark young people's creativity. In 2022, COMPAS launched the Emerging Young Artists program, complete with a juried art show, to give St. Paul-area students a showcase.

"This program is designed to do a few things," said Dawne Brown White, COMPAS executive director. "One is to recognize students for their efforts and for their creativity. And also, for initiating and going out on a limb and sharing their work with the public. Because it takes guts to submit your work."

The program is a descendant of the Les Farrington Best 100 Juried Art Exhibition, put on by the St. Paul Jaycees from 1957 until 2019. After the Jaycees closed operations in 2020 — although its charitable foundation continues as a sponsor — COMPAS took the helm. Funding is also provided by St. Paul's STAR grant program.

This past year, COMPAS worked with students and teachers from eight east metro school districts, Brown White said, with an emphasis on middle schools. The organization paid for in-school residencies for five teaching artists who later formed the jury that evaluated the students' work.

Amy Wilderson, a jewelry artist, served as one of the jurors. She also worked with fifth- and sixth-graders. Previously, she's mostly worked with artists 55 and older.

"I take on all the challenges," she said.

Being in the Emerging Young Artists program "was a nice opportunity to support young people," she said. "Whether they become professional or not, I hope they never put down their art."

Tricia Schmidt, an art teacher at Woodbury High School, had several of her students participate in the show. She's been involved with it for 24 years, she said, and there is something transformative for students when their work is accepted for display.

"We see their work every day. But when they see their work in a real gallery, it just takes on so much more meaning," Schmidt said.

Her submitted piece — a clay sculpture of a student covered in chains stamped with dates and times of sports and school commitments — was her third entry into an art competition, Carlson said.

"It was very exciting. Having exposure to the big art world and seeing all these different pieces was really exhilarating," she said, adding that she would love to continue making art as a "brain break" from her other studies.

Hernandez-Emery, whose father lives in Mexico, is president of her high school's Spanish Club and a member of the school's Mud Club for students who work with clay. She made a monarch butterfly dress as "a great way to show off monarchs because of their connection to Mexico," she said.

Her dress won the $1,000 St. Paul Jaycees Choice Scholarship and a $500 COMPAS Creator's Award.

"Art is part of my life, a way of expressing myself, showing my emotions," Hernandez-Emery said.

Her mother, Jennifer Emery de Hernandez, said her daughter has always been artistic. But she's also always been passionate about animals and cooking. The COMPAS program shows that continuing as an artist is a real possibility.

"Winning that award and having that opportunity has encouraged her and validated the value in art," said Emery de Hernandez, who is also a teacher. "When there are these types of programs, it is so amazing because it allows her to see the value."