Happily headquartered in Fruita, Banjo Cat LLC provides fun, enriching, down-to-earth visual arts education to the people of the Grand Valley -- all ages and all abilities. Classes are designed around these three main objectives:
1.) To impart useful fine art techniques to students of all abilities.
2.) To foster a hands-on, first person appreciation for the visual arts.
3.) To provide an atmosphere where the joy of artmaking abounds prolifically.
Banjo Cat was founded by Andrea Stolarczyk, who has taught art to students for over seven years. In addition to collaborations with the Wellspring Project, Columbine Elementary, and the Brooklyn Art Library, she has completed extensive training and certification through MoMA, The Smithsonian Institute, The National Art Educators Association, California State University, The National Gallery of Art, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and the John Muir Laws Wild Wonder Conference.
She is an appointed member of the Fruita Arts and Culture Board and believes that a world-class art program begins right here in Mesa County. Her personal artwork can be found in private collections across the United States and has been featured at the Colorado Springs Fine Art Center, the Cottonwood Center for the Arts, Commonwheel Artists' Co-Op, The Depot Art Gallery, and The Mountain Arts Festival.
Oh, and why the name Banjo Cat?
When my husband and kids and I moved back to Fruita, we were adopted (quite decisively, might I add) by a saucy gray cat who has an extremely twangy meow. One day, when my son was letting her in the house he offhandedly said, “Oh hello, Banjo Cat.” And I immediately thought, “What a great name for the art teachin’ company!”
To me, it’s fun and egoless; both wonderful states of being when making art.