Stinson to head CAC

Debby Stinson has been elected president of the Colfax Arts Council. Other officers returning are Katie Martin of LaCrosse, vice president; Debbie Snell, treasurer; Emily Adams, secretary, and Judy Imler, membership coordinator, all from Colfax.

Stinson and her family live in Colfax, and she works full time for the WSU art museum. She specializes in marketing and graphics and brings those talents to the Arts Council.

Stinson's husband is professional artist, Henry Stinson.

The Arts Council plans for the year include alternation annually of their two biggest projects, the H’Art of the Palouse banner contest and the Inspired Palouse juried art exhibit and sale, a new program last year. Inspired Palouse will be this year, and the banners will be back in 2019.

Meetings are the the second Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at The Center.

Kathy Clark suggested the CAC look seriously at sponsoring several “sip and paint” parties during the year. The events will feature wine tasting and painting. Attendees will complete an oil or acrylic painting in an evening under the tutelage of a host artist.

Member Carrie Vielle and partner Bob Krikac, both artists, are working on a plan to upgrade facades in the downtown area and would like to partner with the arts council to decorate upstairs blank windows. Both teach at WSU and have access to student help which might get a program off the ground.

The Stinsons have been considering a new mural that would be selected from designs submitted by artists. The mural could be designed in such a way that inexperienced youth and adults could do the majority of painting. They are now looking for a north-facing wall on Main Street that would be suitable.

The Council is looking at sponsoring a Bulldog art display downtown. A new popular project in cities around the country that can be checked out online is the purchase of unpainted fiberglass statues. The statues are bid on by organizations or individuals who each paint their statue or hire it done. The colorful statues are installed in the downtown. In Colfax, the statues would obviously be Bulldogs. The problem would be funding the initial purchase.

Now that the CAC has a 501(c)3, a committee is researching grants to help fund some of these ideas. The committee is headed up by Treasurer Snell and Debi Anderson. Anyone with experience managing grants, especially federal grants, and is willing to share expertise for community art projects is encouraged to contact the CAC. colfaxartscouncil@gmail.com