'Passions are vital': How one Southern Utah artist is helping people discover their creative side |
Ash Swenson has built a business around the idea that creativity belongs to everyone |
By the time the first brushstrokes hit the canvas, the nerves have usually melted away.
Some guests arrive insisting they aren't artistic. Others apologize in advance for what they think their paintings will look like. But by the end of the evening, Ash Swenson watches them leave with something more than a completed piece of art.
As the founder of Beyond Color Art, Swenson has built a business around the idea that creativity belongs to everyone. Through guided paint nights across Southern Utah, she teaches people how to paint while creating a welcoming, judgment-free space where they can relax, connect and surprise themselves with what they're capable of creating.
"Beyond Color Art was born out of a love for art and a passion for creating a judgment-free space where people can relax, unwind and create," she said. "Growing Beyond Color Art is such an incredible journey. Watching Beyond Color Art blossom from a childhood dream into a thriving business has been incredibly rewarding."
Swenson currently teaches about six paint classes each month. At least four feature brand-new paintings inspired by the changing seasons and nature. Desert landscapes are especially popular, and she often includes whimsical themes such as Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster and UFOs.
Classes are held every Tuesday evening at Hive 435 Taphouse and once or twice a month on Sunday afternoons at Zion Vineyards.
Swenson is also teaching classes at The Art Place in St. George during July. The all-ages classes will provide an opportunity for children, teens and adults to paint together and offer a creative experience that doesn't revolve around alcohol.
At every event, participants can expect step-by-step instruction with all supplies included.
"When you come to one of my events, you're there to enjoy the creative process," she said. "We strive for progress, not perfection.” That philosophy is rooted in Swenson's own journey with art.
Growing up in a small town in southern Indiana, she said she spent much of her childhood drawing and using art to fuel her imagination.
"Art became a way to bring my imagination to life," she said. "I can't remember one specific moment that sparked my interest because art has always felt like a part of who I am."
As Beyond Color Art has grown, so has her desire to continue creating. She now sells art prints and stickers in several local shops and markets, and the process of developing new collections continually pushes her to evolve as an artist.
Her passion, she said, lies in creating art and helping others discover that same joy for themselves.
For more information about Beyond Color Art and upcoming classes, visit beyondcolorart.com or follow @color.beyond and @beyond.paint.nights on Instagram.
Tickets for upcoming paint nights can be purchasedthrough Beyond Color Art's Eventbrite page.
Find Swenson at the MOD Market this fall, where she will be promoting classes and selling her artwork, prints and stickers. |
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