Registration is now open for a new six-week children’s art class led by a local artist at the Virgin Islands Children’s Museum on St. Thomas, with sessions beginning Jan. 18.
The Sunday program offers young people a consistent space to explore visual arts, including sketching, painting, comics, manga, and other creative forms. Classes are held weekly at the museum and are structured as a full six-week session.
The cost is $100 per child, which covers all six weeks of instruction. Two levels are available each Sunday: a beginner class from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and an advanced class from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Both classes are offered at the same price.
The class is led by Karim Callwood, the artist behind KC Art Creations and the popular VI Guardian comic book. Callwood said the program began before the COVID-19 pandemic, when a parent asked him to help teach a child how to draw comics. What was meant to be a one-on-one lesson quickly expanded through word-of-mouth.
“I started the class … out of a parent who wanted me to teach their child to do comics,” Callwood said. “On the day when I was going to teach that one child, it ended up being 24 children. A bunch of parents heard about it, and they joined too. That’s how it started.”
While the class began focused on comics, it has expanded to include painting, portraits and other forms of drawing. Callwood said the shift was driven by student interest and the desire to give children more freedom in how they express themselves.
Callwood said his class is designed to let students explore the forms of art that interest them most. “In my class, I give them the opportunity to express what they want to do,” he said. “Some people may want to paint backgrounds. Some people may just want to draw portraits. Some people want to do comics.” He added that he guides students through their creative choices by asking questions about their interests and ideas.
“When they come into the class, I ask them specific questions: What do you like to do? What do you love? What do you want to do? What’s in your heart, what’s in your mind, that you want to create?” Callwood said. “They will explain to me, and I get to help them.”
Callwood said parents often tell him there are limited opportunities for artistic children in the territory, particularly options that reflect modern interests and styles. “Many times, the parents have told me, there’s nothing for these children to do, you know, for them to express their art,” he said.
In an effort to combat this, Callwood is also seeking support to launch a digital art class, an idea he has developed for years but has been limited by access to equipment. “I’ve been trying to get some tablets to start a digital class, because we are in a digital age,” he said. “I’m hoping that I could maybe get some kind of sponsorship or something, because the kids are asking for these digital classes. I don’t know how to get it done.” He added that he believes he would need about 10 tablets to launch a class.
Callwood emphasized the broader community benefits of programs like this one. “This is a community … it’s not just about art alone,” he said. “It’s a community of children building bonds and friendship. So in my class, there’s no discrimination, no argument. What matters is building friendship, doing art, and working together.”
Registration is now open for the six-week Sunday sessions at the Children’s Museum. Families interested in enrolling their children or learning more about KC Art Creations can visit https://www.kcartvi.com
