By Stephen Smoot
Area young people have earned some headlines of late with their inspiring and inspired art.
When one sees Charlie Lanham-Hinton, two aspects of the young man pop out immediately. One, that dynamic shock of red hair that pulls the attention. Next one sees the big joyful grin that is the source of that wonderful social media nickname “happy little kid.” His mother, April Lanham, says he’s well-earned the nickname “Cheesy Charlie” with his big smile.
Since he could walk, Lanham-Hinton has been exploring many different media as he develops a unique art style.
Now, through success in a national contest honoring his hero, the late great painter Bob Ross, seven-year-old Lanham-Hinton is living Ross’s words when he said “we artists are a different breed of people. We’re a happy bunch!”
And it is strong and continued community support in the contest that has helped to keep that smile on that happy kid’s face!
Bob Ross left a legacy of both accessible and beautiful art that defies the conventions of moving toward the less understandable and shock value. Ross emphasized beauty and joy. When people complimented his talent, Ross would reply that he had no talent, just a long term pursued interest. When people saluted his genius, Ross would call his successes “happy little accidents.”
For Ross, art was a way to articulate the joy he felt for life and the love he felt for his fellow man. The foundation that continues in his name perpetuates those values in the “America’s Most Artistic Kid contest.”
“You can do anything here,” Lanham-Hinton’s muse once said of his art, adding “the only prerequisite is that it makes you happy.”
On Lanham-Hinton’s profile page on the America’s Most Artistic Kid site, it explains that “his earliest work was simple, but very abstract-looking.” His “formalist mom” could, however, see intention in these expressions and “just let him develop his own style.”
Soon “lines soon formed into simple images, with legs, feet, a face, and the cherry on top – sharp teeth!” Over time, Lanham-Hinton’s imagination created an entire uniquely inspired menagerie of monsters, “each one has its own name and style.”
Opportunity more than guidance has shaped Lanham-Hinton’s art. Though a professional graphic designer herself, his mother simply gives him the tools he needs to create. “Instead of coloring books,” she explains, “he has a good supply of sketch pads and drawing kits; always at arms reach.” On any trip to any destination, “he has paper, pens, markers, Play Doh, and a smile.”
Another important factor in encouraging a young artist to develop their own mind and creativity? “Not a tablet or an I-pad in sight,” she explains.
That is not to mean that Lanham-Hinton does not use technology. As his mother explains “we take step-by-step pictures of his Play Doh monsters and export them into animated gifs,” mimicking the painstaking art used in the past for the Gumby animated series, Wallace and Gromit films, and the California Raisins commercials in the 1980s.
Currently, though “he now prefers sculpting with aluminum foil and his favorite media, the 3D Doodler.”
Two young artists will earn a prize with their work. One artist will take the People’s Choice Award, chosen through online voting. The winner will receive a $20,000 prize, appear on The Joy of Painting, the show hosted by Ross until the close of his life, now by Nicholas Hankins, and have his or her art displayed in the Minnetrista Museum in Indiana.
Lanham-Hinton currently holds first place in the polling. One can vote once for free, but one can also purchase more votes with donations ranging from $10 to $250, the proceeds benefiting a blood cancer research foundation.
The second winner will earn the Artists’ Choice Award, selected by a panel of artists and experts. They will also get to display their work alongside the People’s Choice.
David Arquette, known for his acting, now helps to host and promote The Joy of Painting. He is a “Certified Ross Instructor” and has held workshops for the competitors during the competition.
Arquette encouraged young people in the online site to participate without hesitation“Whether your child paints, sculpts, or draws, you name it,” he said, their art is welcome.
Lanham-Hinton has found inspiration in a field familiar to other kids his age, especially boys. “His subject matter, monsters!” says the page featuring the young man. It also explained “by the time Charlie was three, he already had thousands of drawings and had published a book at age four.”
How does a parent encourage a young artist? “Let him go. Encourage him,” shared Lanham. She added that it’s important to not critique a child’s work because that will encourage the young artist to follow what another wants, rather than form their own unique style. Lanham-Hinton is as prolific as he is talented. “You wouldn’t believe how many notebooks he has,” she said.
His teachers in his alternative schooling program have also known how to best help him move toward his potential. Lanham explained how they saw that her son was not interested in coloring books, so teachers provided him sketchpads, as his mother does at home, to create his own art.
One medium Lanham-Hinton created entirely on his own lies in pushing different kinds of sticks in intentional arrangements into the ground. “He calls those his ‘stick gardens,’” Lanham noted.
Like any boy, the young man has varied interests that include “drawers full of Hot Wheels, drawers full of dinosaurs.” Lanham also shared that he loves singing as well.
Lanham-Hinton does currently lead, but only after one round. He is in one of four groups and his group started with 52 children. Voting from Feb 16 to 26 selects the top 20, who then move on to votes for the top 15 (voting runs from Feb 26 to March 5, then top 10 (March 5 through March 12) then top five (March 12 through March 19).
Group finals commence from March 19 through March 26. One winner will emerge from each group. This kicks off a wildcard round from March 27 to 29, Quarterfinals from March 30 to April 9, Semifinals from April 10 to April 16, then finals from April 17 to April 23 to select the Public Choice Grand Prize Winner.
The eventual winner will definitely need the continual and consistent support and love from his or her community to keep moving forward, but West Virginia has a strong track record in such things. As his Facebook page explains “Charlie will need the help of his classmates, community, and friends of all ages during the official selection process.”
Like all boys, Lanham-Hinton does not put all his eggs in one basket. His smile also goes to martial arts classes, where he specializes in “breaking boards and not hearts,” as his Facebook page proclaims. He has taken his campaign on the road as well, taking photographs with his supporters for the promotion page.
With art driving his passion in a very arts encouraging community, the opportunities that lay before Lanham-Hinton as he grows will expand and grow. As his mother, who has engaged in art both for the love of it and also professionally, says “you never know where art will take you.”
