Stuck on art

Masterpieces mount up with Lincoln City art kits

By Gretchen Ammerman

Oregon Coast TODAY

Whether it’s diamonds, dinner or just a coupon for a free hug, getting something special on Valentine's Day can really help improve the spirits.

Staff and volunteers at the Lincoln City Cultural Center have been giving out something akin to a Valentine’s day gift to community members since March of last year; hand-assembled art kits that make creativity easier.

"The mission of this program is to help keep our local kids, and sometimes adults, creative in this strange time of isolation by supplying ready-to-go art projects,” said staff project organizer Krista Eddy. “We’ve given out over 5,000 kits since we started. There are usually eight to 10 different projects ready at any one time that people can choose from.”

If you have never taken advantage of the special service, now is a great time, since for the next week the kits will be doubly themed, with a nod to the holiday and also to Lincoln City Antiques and Collectibles Week, running through Monday, Feb. 15.

“We’re doing a special Valentine’s card project because we got many neat things donated, like antique lace, copies of vintage cards and old buttons.” Eddy said. “We normally prepare about 30 of each of the different kits — for this one we are making 100.”

Eddy has help for both the supplies and the construction of the kits from volunteers like “Craft Master Susan” Sachdeva.

“She’s amazing at coming up with ideas,” Eddy said. “Right when we started doing this in March, she walked in and asked if she could help and she’s been doing it ever since.”

A retiree and lifelong artist, Sachdeva had a lot to give:

“This has been a really great experience for me because I wanted to get rid of reusable treasures that I’ve collected over the years, and what better way to do it then donating them to a kids art project," she said. “I’ve also made kits at home to expedite the process and that’s fun too. Another thing that prompted me was that I promised my husband I would get this stuff out of the house.”

Sachdeva takes inspiration from seeing what others have come up with, as well as from the materials themselves.

“It’s kind of like reverse engineering art,” she said. “Instead of having an idea and searching for the materials to make it happen, you start out with the things and then figure out what you can do with them.”

She has had plenty of practice creating activities for her one-, three- and six-year-old grandkids and having a little cheeky fun with their parents.

“I have a big basket of potential projects for the kids when they come over,” she said. “They paint, glue rocks onto birdhouses, that kind of thing. They have a blast, go home with all these things and then their parents have to figure out what to do with them.”

Sachdeva often works with a small crew, which Eddy arranges with safety in mind.

“I try to keep the groups separated and have the same people work together every time,” she said. “We don’t want to make big party groups.”

The crew Sachdeva has been creating with includes Robyn Speers and Jill Morris.

“It’s been a great way to have something to look forward to every week,” Sachdeva said. “It’s like a coffee meeting without the coffee. We just cut, giggle and glue.”

Another long-term group of snippers and stuffers is the crew of Donna Eddy, Thea Sanchez and Linda Cave.

“I’m so grateful that our volunteers have not only made the original idea happen, but have enabled us to expand the program and do some collaborations with other groups,” Eddy said.

One such collaboration is with the Business for Excellence in Youth program, which provides nutrition and school supplies for kids in need.

“We’ve done three rounds of art kits for the boxes they give out,” Eddy said. “We will be sending out 163 special kits in the middle of February. We’ve also created some for the families that are victims of the Echo Mountain fire — they are different from the ones we offer at the cultural center, because they have everything you need to do a project like scissors, markers and glue. Normally we make them assuming you will have basic supplies at home but, for these, we know so many families lost everything.”

Sachdeva said the kits spur creativity, introduce internationally known artists, provide little-known facts about architectural achievements around the world and more.

“During the doldrums of the pandemic and rainy weather, I encourage parents to take advantage of this terrific, local opportunity,” she said. “This project started to address a community need and flourished thanks to the donations of materials and committed volunteers.”

Pick-up is easy and safe at the Art Kit Room, located on the main floor of the cultural center and open Thursday through Sundays from 10 am to 4 pm. The usually unstaffed space is decked out with many project choices; just pick the ones that look the most interesting to you or your kids and take them home. Most kits are labeled with contents, a list of supplies you will need at home, suggested minimum age and donation amounts. Donations to the program go towards buying more supplies like paint, glue and colored pencils. There is a secured donation box for cash in the room or, to donate online, go to www.lincolncity-culturalcenter.org.

The Creative Quarantine Art Kit program is slated to continue through this school year, according to Eddy, who is always thinking of fun new projects.

"Watch for magic trick-making kits coming during spring break this year,” she said.

The Lincoln City Cultural Center is located at 540 NE Hwy. 101. The center is open from 10 am to 4 pm, Thursday through Sunday. For more information, call 541-994-9994.