This art education center in Johnson County aims to teach and entertain the community

If you want to be more artistic but aren’t sure where to start, Olathe Visual Artists can help. The non-profit offers various ways for local residents to learn about and participate in artistic endeavors.

Although the group is small, just 32 members, its programs are open to everyone. They partner with the First Art Gallery of Olathe, 12755 S. Mur-Len Road, to have a space to both create and show art.

Started as part of the Olathe Arts Alliance in 1978, the group offers a mixture of free and fee-based workshops and classes, as well as activities such as a regular art-themed movie night. Dave Stewart, president of Olathe Visual Artists, said he thinks of them as “kind of a community art education center.”

If you’re feeling confident in your art skills, you can even take part in one of the group’s regular competitions. In the spring, they held a plein air painting competition, and there’s an abstract one coming up in August.

For a competition like the plein air one, people can do their work any time in a three- or four-week period, while the abstract competition will have all competitors working in the same location at the same time for a three-hour time limit.

Kids also can try their hand at a competition in July. Most of the adult competitions carry a cash award for winners, while the children’s one has art supply prizes.

To encourage kids who are pursuing the arts, Olathe Visual Artists gives a $500 scholarship every spring to at least one high school student who will be studying art in college.

“We encourage anybody interested in art, but we try to assist them in their career or their future as an artist and direct them the way we can,” Stewart said.

He said they recently received a $10,000 grant from the city that they’re using to develop a new website, pay for art supplies, hire guest speakers and help support their scholarship fund.

It’s not just hands-on art that they support. Stewart said they often offer talks on various art history topics.

When possible, the group tries to offer classes and workshops that are free. Stewart said they want to get as many people involved as possible.

“I am an artist. My favorite part is being involved in this art life with other people and just having contemporaries who are very interested in art that I can share this experience with,” Stewart said. “I teach painting, and I really love to see my students improve their abilities and their techniques.”

One of the more moving experiences he’s had with the group was when a woman came to them seeking help finishing a painting her niece had started. Her niece had died, and she wanted to honor her by finishing the piece. Olathe Visual Artists was able to help her with the skills she needed to finish it.

Stewart would like to see Olathe get more of a reputation for its art. One way the group tries to promote local art is an open gallery event the first Saturday of each month. The next one will be at 6 p.m. July 6 at First Art Gallery of Olathe and will feature live music to go along with the visual art.

“We want the artists to have an opportunity to interact with the public.”