KidzArt now in sahuarita: art program for kids is expanding

By Danielle Sottosanti

Apr. 17, 2008 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) --
Now in her third year of owning and running a children's art program in the Tucson area, Maureen Shields is expanding her franchise business south to Sahuarita.

"I was watching how the community was growing and looking at other programs that are offered down here," said Shields, who owns KidzArt, a franchise business spreading to the town.

Shields, 48, found an open niche in Sahuarita, where late last week she and two of her instructors began giving classes to toddler, preschool- and elementary-age children who live in Rancho Sahuarita.

"We do have dance classes, karate. We have over 75 different classes we currently offer for our residents, but one of the ones we were missing was art -- for kids, especially," said Michelle Moreno, the master-planned community's activities director.

Rancho Sahuarita resident Josh Hocking, 9, said he gets to do a lot of art at home because his mom is an artist and has a home studio.

But he also decided to sign up for the new KidzArt program at the community clubhouse.

"I just really thought it would be fun to do, so I decided to try it out," he said.

Hocking, a third-grader at Anza Trail School, was one of 21 kindergartners through third-graders who attended the first KidzArt class held at Rancho Sahuarita.

The classes, which are $65 per six-week session, are also open to fourth- and fifth-graders.

Marie McClure enrolled her 6-year-old twins, Aidan and Kaylee, in the program and said most of their friends joined, too.

"There's a group they all hang out in, and six of the nine signed up," she said. She thinks the others couldn't get in because the class was full.

During the classes, the students work with artist-quality materials -- rather than art supplies designed for children. For example, during Friday's class they used markers typically used by graphic designers and architects to draw dragonflies.

"We want to give the children an artist's experience, not what they always get," Shields said.

The classes held at the Rancho Sahuarita clubhouse are only for children who live in that community.

Starting May 17, KidzArt will hold classes for the greater Sahuarita community on Saturdays at Joan M. Swetland Community Center, 15500 S. Sahuarita Park Road.

There will be classes for toddlers and kindergartners through fifth-graders and fashion- design-themed classes for teens.

Shields hired instructors Erin Brakke and Kristen Roybal to teach KidzArt classes in Sahuarita because they know the community.

Roybal, 26, lives in Rancho Sahuarita and is in the University of Arizona's continuing education program to get a certificate in graphic arts and desktop publishing.

Brakke, also 26, lives in Green Valley and plans to submit her artwork to galleries in Tubac.

Normally, they will teach the classes on their own, but Shields taught with them last week because they were still trainees.

Shields has 12 instructors working for her in the Tucson area, where both she and another Tucsonan, Misty Wick, own separate KidzArt franchises.

Though their businesses are separate, they work together -- sharing a Web site and phone number and divvying up business by area.

Shields, who lives in the Foothills, does that area and the East Side, including southeast areas such as Vail, Oro Valley and now Sahuarita.

Wick, who also goes by the surname Hockstad, handles central Tucson and Marana.

In Vail, Shields has after-school KidzArt programs in five elementary schools -- Cottonwood, Desert Willow, Sycamore, Acacia and Ocotillo Ridge.

The Vail School District was one of the first school districts she began working with, she said.

Though already in places ranging from schools to community centers to children's stores, Shields said she is always looking for new places to hold classes.

"We go where the kids are," she said.

Summer KidzArt programs in your area

Vail area

--Desert Willow Elementary School, 9400 E. Esmond Loop. June 9-12.

--Acacia Elementary School, 12955 E. Colossal Cave Road. June 16-19.

--Cottonwood Elementary School, 9950 E. Rees Loop. June 23-26.

--Sycamore Elementary School, 16701 S. Houghton Road. July 7-10.

All classes are from 9 a.m. to noon, for ages 5 to 12 and cost $125. For more information or to register, call 495-4952; e-mail info@kidzartaz.com; or go online to www.kidzartaz.com. Other dates may be added.

Sahuarita

--Joan M. Swetland Community Center, 15500 S. Sahuarita Park Road. Saturdays, May 17 through June 21 or July 5 through Aug. 9. To register, download a form online through Pima County Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation at www.pima.gov/nrpr/.

Class times and prices are as follows, based on age or grade:

Preschoolers who are at least 3 1/2 years old: 10-10:45 a.m. $55.

Grades kindergarten through five: 11 a.m. to noon. $65.

Grades six through 12: 12:30-2 p.m. $99.

--Rancho Sahuarita (for residents only)

Classes are going on now in the clubhouse. Contact KidzArt at info@kidzartaz.com or call 495-4952 for more information about enrolling into a current or future session.

Current six-week session times and prices are as follows, based on age or grade:

Ages 2 and 3 with a parent or caregiver: 10-10:45 a.m. Thursdays. $55.

Preschoolers who are at least 3 1/2 years old: 11-11:45 a.m. Thursdays. $55.

Grades kindergarten through five: 3:30-4:30 p.m. Fridays. $65.

Green Valley

--Pima Community College's Green Valley Community Learning Center, 1250 W. Continental Road. Noon to 4 p.m. July 14-18 or July 28 through Aug. 1. Ages 5 to 12. $150. Register through Pima at either 206-6468 or online at www.pima.edu.

--Contact reporter Danielle Sottosanti at 618-1922 or at dsottosanti@azstarnet.com.

Newstex ID: KRTB-0014-24565506