ARTopia Days

No School, Just Art!

A utopia for young artists to create and explore during teacher in-service days.

2025/2026 ARTopia Dates

October 3rd, January 16th, February 13th, 
March 6th, April 3rd, April 24 and May 22nd

8:00am-3pm

Location MAHC's Community Hub McCall, 114 N 3rd St, McCall


Ages 7-11

Cost $20 each day 
(The option for $120 for all-receiving 1 day FREE-has SOLD OUT)

Only 18 spots available, sign up early

Instructors-Krista Rauch and Rachel Morton

Rachel Morton was a guest instructor during our 2024/25 season where she watercolor painted valentines cards with us and did some lego printing.

Guest instructors: Beth Fulton, Troy Huckaby, Ol Slim, the Banjo Man from Pickles Butte(aka Gary Eller), Angela Staup, Andrea Ramelli, Amy Klingler and more 2025/26.

Spots are limited. Please sign up your kiddo using the ticket links below.

If you have questions, concerns or would like to be added to the waitlist of any full class please email: info@mccallarts.org

REGISTRATION REMINDERS

All Registration reminders on our Creative Campus main page apply. Please register early and inform MAHC as soon as possible if your student is no longer able to attend a date they are signed up for. Many dates have a waitlist and it is important to us that every student who wants to attend is able to.

Registration is required for ARTopia dates.
ARTopia days are for students ages 7-11.
ARTopia has some spaces for Student Helpers/Instructors ages 12-17. Email us to enquire at krista@mccallarts.org.
Some dates fill very quickly. If you would like to be placed on a waitlist, please email us at info@mccallarts.org.
We are committed to providing access to the arts for all youth and keeping this program as affordable to participate as possible. Need-based scholarships are available. Please enquire at krista@mccallarts.org.
We aim to provide students with opportunities to learn and engage directly with working artists of varied-disciplines. While we rely on the generorsity of those professionals, we also strive to pay them fairly for their expertise.

TO REQUEST A REFUND OR TO CANCEL REGISTRATION, PLEASE CONTACT US AT info@mccallarts.org OR CALL 208-634-7136.

Apply for an ARTopia Scholarship

Become an ARTopia Instructor

October 3rd, 2025

We will be making Rainbow Bridge Bubble Gum Fish with Troy Huckaby

Troy has taught during our Art School program for the past three years and is a student and teacher favorite. During the 2022/23 school year he taught bas relief, creating a salmon with the rainbow bridge on it using bubblegum as the medium. This year he taught 3D sculpture using 3D pens and created houses. He specializes in mixed media and combining different creation processes to organize materials into useful, aesthetically pleasing, and mind altering objects. He promotes art as part of every day, for every person and woven in all professions.

January 16th, 2026

We will be practicing martial arts with Angela Staup.

And creating a culinary master piece with Amy Klinger.

Amy Klingler is the chef and owner of Amy’s Whole Food Creations in McCall. A valued instructor with the McCall Arts and Humanities Council, she regularly leads both adult and youth programs, sharing her expertise and passion for the culinary arts.

Master Angela Staup, 5th Dan, reopened the dojang in 2010 after graduating with a degree in Economics from Boise State University. Master Staup continues to compete nationally and internationally, winning several awards including Best Overall Senior Female Competitor two years in a row at the UC Open at UC Berkeley. She is an international referee and regularly participates in seminars and workshops with USA Taekwondo, Pan-American Taekwondo Union (PATU), and the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF).

The McCall Teakwondo Club is an extension program of the UC Martial Arts Program (UCMAP) based out of UC Berkeley. That program was established by Grandmaster Dr. Ken Min in 1969 . It was the first university martial arts program in the US. From there Dr. Min worked to get Taekwondo into the Amatuer Athletic Union (AAU), from there into the NCAA, and eventually into the Olympics.

The Korea Martial Arts Summer Camp, originally organized by the UCMAP, has visited Valley County and Central Idaho many times while traveling the west for 40 years.

February 13th, 2026

We will be making Valentines Cards with Andrea Ramelli.

And watercolor painting with Natalie Sahnow.

Andrea Schafer-Ramelli is a McCall resident who believes cards, or “paper hugs” are simple, easy ways to bring joy to others, which is enhanced immeasurably with handmade cards. Andrea has taught cardmaking classes through Cabin Fever and other local venues for several years, and advised her high school students’ Papercrafting club prior to her retirement. She taught last year during our ARTopia days and we are so excited to have her back for Valentines Day card creations.

Natalie Sahnow………

March 6th, 2026

We will be song writing with Gary Eller.

Since 2007, Gary Eller has led the Idaho Songs Project, dedicated to collecting songs about Idaho’s early culture—those written before the arrival of radio and mass recording in the state around 1923. When compelling historical stories are found without a traditional song, Gary and his musical collaborators write new ones to preserve and share Idaho’s heritage.

Gary has presented programs across the state for the Idaho Arts and Humanities Councils, drawing from seventeen topical CD and interpretive book projects he has published, including a booklet focused on the Salmon River region. In 2022, he received one of the prestigious Idaho Governor’s Awards for support of the traditional arts in recognition of his Idaho Songs work.

In addition to his publishing and performance projects, Gary works with fourth-grade classrooms, introducing students to age-appropriate Idaho songs. He then guides the classes in small groups to create original verses about Payette Lake, set to the tune of a lively song celebrating Lake Pend d’Oreille. This activity blends fun and creativity with lessons in Idaho history, leaving students both inspired and informed.

April 3rd and 24th, 2026

SOLD OUT-email krista@mccallarts.org to be placed on a waitlist.

We will be making Clay Vessels with Beth Fulton.

Beth is a ceramic artists, focusing on handmade, small-batch pottery. She has taught students for us both inside our Art School program, our after school programming and last year for our pilot year of ARTopia Days; where she has taught students slab building, hand molding and glazing techniques.

May 22, 2026

We will be making Dancing with Jon Swarthout, TRICA.

Jon Swarthout is the founder and presidents of TRICA.

Jon Swarthout danced professionally with Joffrey Ballet, Feld Ballets/New York and Oregon Ballet Theatre. He started in local theater productions as a child and formed his own theatre production company at age thirteen. Swarthout started ballet lessons at age fourteen, auditioned and was selected to attend North Carolina School of the Arts, where he was taught ballet by Melissa Hayden among others. He earned a full scholarship to attend the Houston Ballet Academy, where he distinguished himself and was inspired by professional dancers Janie Parker and Li Cunxin.

Swarthout launched an arts education career based in Idaho’s Treasure Valley and began working with children ages 2-12, teaching in all education settings near and far. Hearing of the innovative work with children being done by Jacques d’Amboise and National Dance Institute, Jon was so moved by NDI’s mission statement that he immediately signed up for a teacher training, where he saw compelling ways to refine his own method and take it to the next level. Swarthout was asked to co-teach with NDI’s Tracy Straus in Aspen and New York. He served on the Founding Committee for ANDI, Associates of National Dance Institute. Jon continues to share best practices and resources with NDI, as well as mentorship and inspiration.

Swarthout’s dream was always to return to his hometown, where he believed he could have the most impact. In 1996 he became Director of Educational Outreach for the Idaho Dance Theater. In1996 he founded TRICA, the Treasure Valley Institute for Children’s Arts, a multi-disciplined arts education program that has touched thousands of lives in the Northwest US.

In 2007, Swarthout acquired a 12,000 ft Romanesque-Baroque Stone Cathedral that was at risk of demolition and embarked upon a dream of transforming it into a children’s center for learning through the arts. In 2010 Swarthout became the father of twin daughters Ginger and Violet. Swarthout is working and raising his family in Boise, Idaho while making an impact on his community and beyond.

Date Range:

General Information for ARTopia Participants

Arrival and Departure
It is important that students arrive right at 8am and are picked up right at 3pm. We do not have childcare available for before or after these times.

Lunch
MAHC does not provide lunches for ARTopia days, please back a cold lunch with your student. It is also advised that you send your student with a water bottle. If your child needs to have a snack, feel free to send something small, healthy and easy for them to handle. MAHC may pop some popcorn or hand out some fishy crackers for students to share and sometimes we like to add in a little culinary arts. Please inform MAHC if your student has any dietary restrictions or allergies that we need to be concerned about.

Clothing
Please make sure your student is dressed in comfortable and appropriate attire for a day of art fun and movement. We understand that it’s a long day and a little recess is a wonderful way to break things up a bit and get our creative juices flowing again, so please send students with clothing that is appropriate for the weather. We will be using art supplies and so it is important that students wear something that you don’t mind them getting messy in and/or paint, glue, pen marks, ect. on. MAHC is not responsible for ruined clothing.

Observing
This offering is meant to provide a safe, fun and engaging space for your student to go during teacher in-service days when you as caregivers have alternative commitments that mean it is difficult to watch your youth that day. We provide 2 adult supervisors at all times during these dates. If you would like to be one of our helpers that day, please contact us to enquire at krista@mccallarts.org.

Cell Phones and other personal devices and Disruptive Behaviors and Discipline
Please see our Creative Campus homepage.

For questions, please email MAHC at info@mccallarts.org
Special circumstances will be met on an individual basis.

Thank you for your interest and support in Creative Campus. We look forward to creating with you and your child.

Volunteer today with us—email info@mccallarts.org. We are always looking for artists, scholars and teachers to help with our programming.