ArtStart / ArtScraps

06/26/2026

Looking for a fun, creative way to keep your preschooler engaged? Give them a passport to culture with A Start with the Arts! Led by teaching artist Brooke Steigauf, this immersive class takes 4- and 5-year-olds on a hands-on exploration of China.

What your child will experience:

🎨 Hands-On Art Projects: We will be creating papier-mâché kites, mixed media masks, dragon puppetry, watercolor paintings, clay sculptures, and more!

🇨🇳 Cultural Discovery: Immersive cultural content brought to life through imaginative storytelling, illustrative visuals, and interactive games.

🏃‍♀️Play & Social Connection: Each half-day includes dedicated time for dramatic play, recess, snacks, and open peer-to-peer play guided by our teachers and interns to help build social skills.

This engaging program explores the same rich themes as our school-age camps in a joyful way, just for young kids!

A Start with the Arts
Sunny Hollow Montessori – Mississippi Blvd Campus
July 13–17 (8:30 – 11:30am)
Sign up! artstart.org/summer-immersion/

06/25/2026

Last Saturday, June 20, ArtStart teamed up with Hijinks Stilts at Mears Park for the Twin Cities Jazz Festival in Lowertown, St. Paul. The park was buzzing with incredible live music and community energy.

While the stilt-walkers (Malia Burkhart and Angie Courchaine) kept everyone looking up in awe, our hands-on art station was packed with artists (Robin Getsug, Nancy Sampson, and Franny Haight) and creative families rolling up their sleeves to make something beautiful together.

A massive thank you to everyone who stopped by to create, chat, and celebrate with us. Days like this are why we love what we do!

06/23/2026

Meet Heidi Witte! Heidi is a multidisciplinary artist currently based in St. Paul, MN. She graduated from PNCA in Portland, Oregon in 2007 earning a BFA in Illustration. She has over a decade of experience working as an arts educator.

Heidi teaches book binding and visual arts in our summer camp: Passport to China through the Arts!

06/18/2026

We are deeply saddened to learn that Melodee Strong, a vibrant and dedicated Minneapolis artist, educator, and author, has died of cancer at age 53. Committed to representation and social justice, the longtime north Minneapolis resident painted more than 50 community-centered murals across the Twin Cities, wrote and illustrated children's books for youth of color, and spent a decade teaching art at Franklin Middle School. Inspired by her Peruvian heritage and her mother's legacy of fostering over 100 children, Strong acted as a passionate mentor and "mother bear" to young artists, dedicating her life to ensuring that marginalized communities felt seen, valued, and filled with joy.

Melodee joined the ArtStart artist roster in 2024. She taught painting at our Passport to Brazil and Passport to India Camps, and was admired by artists and staff for her calm professionalism and talent.

“Everyone at ArtStart is heartbroken to hear of Melodee's passing. She was so kind and genuine, and a powerhouse of talent. As I drive by Melodee's colorful and vibrant murals on Lake Street almost every day, I am reminded of how lucky we all were to work with her. She will be missed.” – Anne Sawyer, Executive Director

Strong championed north Minneapolis, painted more than 50 community-centered murals, wrote children’s books and empowered kids through art education.

06/16/2026

If your child is constantly building worlds in their head, give them the tools to bring those stories to life! In this one-of-a-kind art and creative writing camp, young (s)heroes will team up with professional authors and artists to craft their very own original epics.

We have a few openings in our morning and afternoon sessions for kids ages 6 – 8 at Prospect Park United Methodist Church, June 22 – 26! If your child loves creating stories and making art, this is the perfect place for them! artstart.org/writing-camp

06/11/2026

Come see us at the Saint Paul Pride Festival this Saturday at Dual Citizen Brewing! We'll be there with Hijinks Stilts! Bring the family for hands-on art-making activities and celebration!

ArtStart at the St. Paul Pride Festival
Saturday, June 13, 10:00am – 2:00pm
Dual Citizen Brewing at 725 Raymond Ave, St. Paul

Learn more about the festival at stppride.org.

06/10/2026

This Saturday night, join us for our Free Spring Poetry Series: The Earth Cries Out! Come to the ArtScraps store for an evening of art, poetry, and light refreshments.

Register for free! artstart.coursestorm.com/course/free-spring-poetry-series-the-earth-cries-out1

This event features poetry readings by Charly Mullan, River Urke, and Suzanne Swanson.

Suzanne Swanson is a retired perinatal psychologist and the author of House of Music and the chapbook What Other Worlds: Postpartum Poems. Suzanne is a winner of the Loft Mentor Series; she helped to found Laurel Poetry Collective. With Sara Dovre Wudali, she co-edited the hybrid chapbook, All You Need Is One Avocado. Recent poems have appeared in EcoTheo Review, Concision Poetry Journal, Land Stewardship Letter, Water~Stone Review, The Iowa Review and NELLE. Her work has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Suzanne is happiest near big water.

Our series is curated by Patrick Cabello Hansel, author of The Devouring Land, Quitting Time, and Breathing in Minneapolis. Patrick has twice been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and was part of the Mentor Series for the Loft Literary Center.

06/09/2026

Our free popular poetry series continues on Saturday, June 13 with The Earth Cries Out! Come celebrate spring at our cozy ArtScraps store with an evening of art, poetry, and light refreshments.

Register for free! artstart.coursestorm.com/course/free-spring-poetry-series-the-earth-cries-out1

This event features poetry readings by Charly Mullan, River Urke, and Suzanne Swanson.

Charly Mullan likes to describe himself as an emotional journalist, a poet / songwriter channeling the history of emotions through his writing which he can trace back to 7 years old, and a poem about turtles he wrote for his Mother’s Day card. First published in “Lyrical Iowa,” an anthology back in 1976, he has sporadically published in other anthologies and contests since stating, “I get bored trying to put together a book, and would rather experience writing something new.”

Our series is curated by Patrick Cabello Hansel, author of The Devouring Land, Quitting Time, and Breathing in Minneapolis. Patrick has twice been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and was part of the Mentor Series for the Loft Literary Center.

06/06/2026

Our Bead Bonanza Sale ends Sunday! If you love to use beads in your artwork or jewelry creations, join us for this one-of-a-kind sale! ArtScraps is open Saturday and Sunday, 10am – 4pm. Visit us: artstart.org/artscraps-reuse-store