MAC August Student Spotlight: Colton

August might just be our favorite time of the year - we get so excited to head back to school with all of the students in Mono County! We love having them join us for summer camps, but we also love heading to the schools to teach music classes, and visual arts classes all year long! Driving up and down 395 to get to paint and sing with students year after year makes our hearts full. This month we talked to Colton, a Junior at Coleville High School, about his art - leather making!

Colton, Junior at CHS

Why do you love art?

I like it because it’s fun to do - and I can always have something to do, and it’s my own thing that makes me special. People enjoy seeing it and I like

making things that people can use in their lives, like wallets and belts.

What is a favorite piece of art you have created?

I made a rattlesnake inlay wallet. I skinned the snake myself, and the corners of it are tooled (they have designs carved into them) and then the outside of the wallet is the snake skin, and the inside is carved leather drawings of a buck and a hunter. It took me a long time (and the snake was already dead when I found it).

Colton's snakeskin wallet

What would you say to a friend to get them interested in art?

I would say it may not be for you at first, but once you find the kind of art that you like - it might be. It’s not always paintings, but there are so many different kinds of art! I don’t like to paint, but then I found leather making - and I love it. Originally I wanted to forge knives, but I needed to make sheathes first, and so I got started in leatherwork, and I stuck with it because I really love it.

Do you think art is important? Why?

Yes I do because it lets you express yourself and see other people’s emotions. It’s personalized to you. I put time in for people to enjoy it.

What do you love to create the most?

I like to create wallets because they don’t take too long, but I also like to make belts because there’s so much space to be creative - and you can use them every day.

Is there any kind of art you wish you could try?

I want to try saddle making. It’s intimidating because it’s more expensive and there are big (sewing) machines you have to learn to use. 

Anything else we should know?

I spend a lot of time in sports during the year, but in the summer I work more on my art and making things. I sold a belt recently, but I give away a lot of stuff too. I really like to make stuff for people!