Elizabeth Howard, 10, was inspired by her mother, Rebecca, to submit a piece of artwork in the first ever InGenius! Gallery & Boutique community art show, as a mother-daughter project. Elizabeth enjoyed seeing the acrylic paintings in her mother’s art room and began dabbling in arts herself, most frequently drawing characters. She had never taken part in an art show so she decided to take a leap.
The theme of the art show was “My Favorite Local Trail” to celebrate Arbor Day. Elizabeth’s piece, titled “Majestic Trail,” was one of more than a dozen works of art on the wall during the two-week InGenius! event. She used pencil on paper for her drawing, which depicts a combination of her favorite walking trails that she and her family hike with their dog.
“My trail was about doing it with your family and how nature looks when you see all the animals and the plants,” Elizabeth said.
Rebecca, who is a regular customer at InGenius!, also submitted an acrylic painting called “Coastal Trail.” When she learned what the theme would be, she said she immediately had the image in her head.
“We go on a lot of hikes and out in nature a lot, so some of those trips and memories are really seared into my brain,” Rebecca said. “There was a certain view of the kids running through the trails, so I took from those experiences for this art show. I looked at the pictures we took from our trip and figured out how to meld them together to really give the feel of walking in nature.”
Rebecca has only dabbled in acrylic painting for six years, but she was impressed when her daughter, a fifth grader at McKenna Elementary, began drawing characters and showed interest in participating in the community art show.
“It’s one of the first mother-daughter experiences I’ve had. I see Elizabeth’s talent in her drawing,” Rebecca said. “When I first started watching her draw it, I thought, ‘Oh, that’s not how I would do it. Are you sure, honey?’ And she was like, ‘No, Mom. I got this.’ She did such a good job and, by the end of it, I saw her vision. I saw her eye for it.”
Rebecca said her four kids, particularly Elizabeth, enjoyed watching her paint when she started, and she encouraged them to find joy in art if they chose to pursue it as a hobby.
“The kids saw how much effort and time I put into trying to learn the different mediums. I taught them that even if they think they’re not good at it right now, it doesn’t mean that it’s not fun,” she said. “I continue to do it because it gives me joy, and I hope my children have seen that.”
Elizabeth said her favorite part of the art show was seeing visitors interact with her and her mother’s artwork, which were hung on the wall next to each other. She hopes to join her mother for another art show, perhaps showing off her animation skills next time.
“I draw some existing characters and add some imaginary parts to it, like I had a bunny and then I drew a basket next to it and filled it with candies,” Elizabeth said.
While Rebecca enjoys submitting her own artwork in art shows, she appreciates how hidden talent, such as Elizabeth, can receive a spotlight at a business like InGenius!
“I love how InGenius! brings the art community together, and it’s not pigeonholed into one idea that all art is just paint or sculpture. [InGenius! owner] Andrea Levanti brings everything in, and it’s a nice variety. Every time you walk in the door, you get introduced to art that you didn’t even realize was out there. I love that InGenius! offers the opportunity to express yourself in so many different ways.”
InGenius! Gallery & Boutique is open from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday at 207 First St. S. in Yelm.
