BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Andrew Hawley has worked in art education for the past 10 years. He sees the benefits art can bring to a child's life and development, but with art programs dwindling he decided to do something to broaden arts education.
“I’ve always had a passion for teaching kids," Hawley said. "So I wanted to make a space where kids could come to me or I could go to them and I could bring them quality art projects and art instruction as a way for them to express themselves.”
That's what led him to start MAKE Bakersfield, a program focused on educating Kern kids about the arts and letting them explore their own creativity.
"I want them to gain confidence in their art, to also be familiar with different types of art besides just drawing and painting," he said. "A lot of people think of art as kind of giving students instructions and then they have to follow them. I want to give them maybe some helpful tips or guidelines and then I want them to venture off on their own"
Hawley says his workshops are all about promoting creativity and self-expression with his students, while also educating them about the history and science of art. Teaching them that there’s more to than putting pen or paintbrush to paper.
"Create something that's completely personal and then they can have the freedom to express themselves. Things that a lot of students may not get at home or at school, I want this to be a place where students can come and try out something completely new," he said.
