Young Mt. Pleasant artist gets governor?s stamp of approval

BY BRYCE KELLY

Mt. Pleasant News

Van Allen fifth grader, Jesse Krabill may just be a great artist in the making, but for now, he?s more focused on being a kid with a wide variety of hobbies and interests.

And although he prefers to speak of his budding artistic abilities with modest reservation, Jesse?s mother, Sarah Krabill, and his school art teacher, Jean Caboth, say they have seen Jesse?s artistic sensibility develop with time. So, when Jesse?s self-portrait created with watercolors and colored pencils captured his teacher?s attention during a class assignment, she knew it was time to let the young artist?s talent shine a little brighter.

?On the day he drew this self-portrait, he was just really focused. And I knew he was onto something special,? Caboth recalls.

After submitting his work to the annual Iowa Youth Art Month competition, Jesse?s self-portrait was one of 15 pieces of artwork to be selected for display in the Iowa governor?s office. Over 200 kindergarten through 12th grade students from around the state submitted artwork to the competition, but Jesse?s work beat out all but a handful to make it to the top spot.

?Jesse doesn?t always make eye contact with you, but in the picture that he did, he is looking straight at you,? says Caboth. ?It?s like you are seeing inside of his soul. The emotion comes out of the picture and I think that?s why it was selected to go to the capitol.?

Besides having his artwork displayed at the capitol building, Jesse was also presented with a certificate of excellence from the governor, and was granted a tour of the capitol building and the governor?s office.

?Getting to meet the governor was probably the best part of the whole day. It was really fun,? said Jesse. ?He (Gov. Branstad) is a really nice guy.?

As any mother would be, Sarah says she is very proud of her son?s recent accomplishments in the arts, but admits his creative flare has been an ever-present part of her son?s life, even from the time he was a young boy.

?I thought even when he was real little, he was just really creative,? said Sarah. ?He?s always liked to create little figures from Play-Doh, and doodle little detailed drawings on things.?

And while Sarah admits that most kids enjoy coloring pictures or painting with watercolors, she insists her son?s talent for art was always a little more pronounced than his contemporaries.

?In class, he can sometimes space off and draw things on his homework and whatnot,? she smiles. ?And even though I want him to pay closer attention, I can?t help but admit that what he draws is really detailed and intricate.?

To help keep his creative mind active, Jesse participates in the school band, plays soccer and baseball, and of course, continues with art classes.

?Mrs. Caboth is pretty cool,? says Jesse of his elementary school art teacher. ?She lets us do some pretty fun projects that I like doing.?

As for Caboth, she says she sees a great deal of potential coming from her young, award-winning art student, but says whether he becomes a professional artist someday isn?t her main concern.

?I just want him to continue creating art, whether that?s professionally or just for fun,? she insists. ?The arts boost self esteem and are so beneficial in so many ways, that I just want him to continue to have fun with it.?