KING CITY — Sol Treasures in King City recently began a new exhibition featuring creations by local youth artists Elliot Riley and Harper Stamps.
Artwork by Riley, 19, and Stamps, 12, was installed Aug. 14, and a Meet the Artists evening was held Aug. 16, with the front two rooms of the gallery filled with visitors. Their art will remain on display through October.
The exhibition is an extension of the Sol Treasures social media empowerment program, which encourages youth, adults and families to explore artistic alternatives to endless phone scrolling.
“We’re looking at the youth that are doing other things and putting their minds on paper with paint and different things,” Gallery Manager Jude Yriarte said.
The mission also includes encouraging expression through storytelling, music and theater.
“When they’re sitting there and they’re painting or using clay, then they’re not scrolling,” Yriarte said. “This is kind of saying, ‘Look what you can do with your time.’”
Riley was present for the Meet the Artists evening, held days before heading off to San Francisco State University on Aug. 20. There, Riley will study studio arts with a focus on illustration.
“I got into drawing because I really love crafting stories and focus on manually made works,” Riley said.
He cited his father, the Muppets and classic Disney among the many influences for his creative style.
“One of the reasons all of this artwork comes out is there wasn’t a solid internet connection out in Lockwood,” Yriarte said of Riley’s works.
Stamps is the youngest of the two artists on display, and her biography noted her ADHD playing a role in expressing her emotions through art.
“I am a very busy person and my mind is always going,” Stamps said. “I always have so many different thoughts. Art is a good way to express those thoughts for me. If I am feeling too much in that moment, I express it down on my canvas.”
“I hope you really take the time to look at what Harper says and how she titles her work,” Yriarte said. “She’s putting her emotions onto these canvases and she’s done a beautiful job with it. Her titles are things that we can all relate to. Things like ‘Swirling Minds’ and ‘Million Thoughts.’ All those things that are happening for all of us.”
Yriarte noted Stamps’ artwork was displayed in the homes of different family members, and her family worked to gather the creations and bring them to Sol Treasures for exhibition.
“Some of our youth are really talented artists,” said Sol Treasures Executive Director Jeff Hinderscheid. “Oftentimes they don’t have a good place where they can exhibit their work. What better way to give them a platform to show their work than do it right here at Sol Treasures?”
Hinderscheid credited Riley with helping begin the original concepts for the social media empowerment curriculum two years ago. He also said having such young artists display their work advances the gallery’s mission of encouraging locals to explore art rather than scroll on digital devices.
“The conversation that comes up is, ‘If they can do something like this, I can do something like this,’” Hinderscheid said. “Now kids are coming by and rather than just jumping on a computer, they’re sitting in the makerspace and grabbing paint and trying to create some art.”
Hinderscheid noted the large turnout showed the area’s support for youth artists.
The Offline Expression exhibit is funded by Yellow Brick Road Benefit Shop from Carmel. Sol Treasures, 519 Broadway St. in King City, is open Tuesday through Friday from 12 to 5 p.m.
