Local artist enlists crowd participation in artworks
by Dan Holland
A number of attendees at Broadview Heights Home Days had an opportunity to participate in the painting of a mural that will be hung on the walls of the Broadview Heights Community Center in remembrance of the event.
Broadview Heights resident Kat Sauder, owner of It’s Artsee Live, produces live interactive paintings for a variety of events. No prior painting experience is required to participate.
The local artist worked at the Cedar Point amusement park while in her 20s, producing portraits and caricatures for visitors. She later took her skillset to San Diego, California, where she did similar work at Sea World.
A former co-worker and friend encouraged her to take up interactive painting as a full-time venture.
“I took a sabbatical for 20 years while I was raising my kids,” Sauder explained. “I moved to Ohio from Denver, Colorado about three years ago and decided to pursue my passion once again. My former boss at Sea World – who also does these types of events – told me that no one is doing this in Ohio. He was instrumental in my life at the right time; encouraging me to start a business plan here in Ohio.”
Sauder interacts with the crowd and encourages anyone to come up and join in painting. She first begins by drawing an outline of the scene.
Everything is drawn first, and then I ask people to participate,” said Sauder, who also produces fine arts and sculpture. “Sometimes people get a little sloppy, but then we can go back and fix it – that’s what makes it fun. You might have little kids painting all over it, and we can fix that as well. After the event, I might go back up for a half hour or so and touch it up to make it presentable.”
The Home Days’ theme of the canvas painting includes fireworks, a Ferris wheel, children playing and other elements from the four-day- long annual event. Sauder counted more than 100 participants on July 10, including many children, who all got to sign their name on the work.
Sauder produced an interactive painting last year for a 1920s “Flapper” gala for Broadview Heights employees. She is available for a variety of events including weddings and corporate team-building workshops and also conducts painting workshops.
“I’ll do any event,” Sauder continued. “If they want me to hire out to do a small art class, I can. I can do one for a corporate event where everyone has their own canvas – as part of a team-building event – and paints it. Then I put it together and make it into one mural, and they can hang it up in their offices.
“There are so many different avenues and twists and ways to go with this,” she continued. “I’m always trying to come up with something different and unique – that’s my job as an artist.”
Sauder looks forward to expanding her business in Northeast Ohio.
“I’m excited, and I feel like I’m really going to grow,” she said. “People are always looking for something different, and I just love working with the public. It comes naturally for me.” ∞