The Boys and Girls Club of Santa Maria Valley held a special event on June 23 featuring artist Henry Asencio delivering an hour of art instruction for members with an interest in fine art.
Asencio was born in Los Angeles, but was raised in the Santa Maria Valley. Art lovers seek out his portraiture works and he has a two-year wait list for his new original pieces. Asencio is also an alumni of the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Maria Valley, and attended at the club’s Railroad location. He donated several pieces of art for the club’s annual gala and auction fundraiser.
Twenty members were able to attend Arencio’s June 23 charcoal drawing class, where Asencio focused mostly on teaching the youth how to draw eyes. His instruction also focused on singer Katy Perry’s collaboration with the Boys and Girls Club of America.
Asencio led the students through the artistic process step-by-step, and in the end, the kids had a drawing of an eye with the hashtag #WITNESSTHEFUTURE written underneath.
Boys and Girls Club Director of Events and Marketing Kathryn Scott said the kids enjoyed the artsy event.
“You can tell when kids are engaged,” she said. “You can tell because if they’re not, they’ll pull out their phones.”
No one pulled out their phones during the class, Scott said. The kids followed Asencio’s instructions and, in the end, got to take home sketches they drew along with the materials they used. Asencio donated all the materials needed for the class, including sketchbooks and drawing utensils.
The event was a success, Scott said, because it inspired and taught some of the club’s artistic members.
“We are planning to do it again next year,” Scott said. “Hopefully for a longer time, depending on Henry’s availability.”
