The sound of laughter and bustling conversation harmonize as a muse for creativity, as community members of all ages gathered in Newbury Park’s hidden gem, Art Trek. The last Friday of every month, Art Trek hosts $5 Fridays, an open-house event where participants pay $5 for entry to use multi-medium art supplies. On Sept. 18 from 5:30-9 p.m., locals joined for self-led art projects.
Nancy Young, executive director, has hosted $5 Fridays of various themes since 2012, welcoming all ages and experience levels.
“The younger people inspire the older people, and the older people are able to help the younger people. We have had as many as five generations here at one time,” Young said.
Art Trek’s philosophy emphasizes welcoming artists of all experience levels to explore creativity, offering help and selling food for $2.
“I’ve never met anybody who’s not creative. Our staff is amazing. We have incredible teachers,” Young said. “We can teach anybody to draw or paint. We’ve taught people who have no arms to draw and paint through their mouths. We taught people who were blind or nearly blind to sculpt.”
Each $5 Friday has a unique theme and five different self-directed project suggestions for varying art styles. On Sept.18, the theme was “Gizmos and Gadgets,” and participants painted, sculpted and collaged robotic-themed pieces. Miriam Gomez, art educator, said she delights in being able to watch young children participate in painting artistic innovations.
“They’re so creative, and it’s our job just to nurture that creativity and encourage them to find their own path… and we give them the parameters to lessons, but it’s really beautiful to see them take it in their own direction,” Gomez said.
Amy Commans, Vice President Community Employer in Government Relations at Los Robles Hospital, embraces a spiritual atmosphere through the event, emphasizing a deeper connection with art.
“The arts [go] back to the real world. So it is so emotional when you walk into a room like this and you see this many children, this many families talking,” Commans said.
Commans finds her way through the event, inviting friends to express their inner imagination.
“Arts [are] a way of healing the mind, the body, and so this is a space and a place. And Nan does that for us. So my nurses actually come here. We do a buyout here where I bring my nurses here. There’s nobody here but nurses, and it’s really fun,” Commans said.
On Friday, Oct. 2, Art Trek will host Tween and Teen Night.
“Anytime you can put together intergenerational activities that are successful and interactive, it’s pretty exciting because we have an opportunity to see how art affects everybody and is a positive experience for everybody,” Young said.
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