Colorado Art Group Awards $90K in Scholarships Since 1970s

For over 50 years, the Palmer Lake Art Group has been quietly changing lives, one art scholarship at a time.

Since the 1970s, this northern El Paso County community organization has awarded more than $90,000 to high school seniors in District 38 who dream of careers in art. The group typically gives two or three scholarships each year, and this past Saturday, they hosted a silent auction to help the program grow.

"We believe that the investment into these young students is so important in helping them see an opportunity for art in their career," said Kathleen Seelye of the Palmer Lake Art Group. Members donated their own artwork and art supplies for the auction, with plans to expand the event to the public in coming years.

The goal is ambitious but achievable: grow the annual scholarship fund from three to five thousand dollars to even more. Every dollar goes directly to students who've shown commitment to their craft and plan to continue studying art after graduation.

The Ripple Effect

The impact of these scholarships extends far beyond a check. Micaela Cimino received one of the group's awards more than two decades ago, and it helped launch her entire career.

"I used that money to go to Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, a very good art school, which was super fun and amazing," Cimino said. Today, she owns a gallery and frame shop in Monument, making her living through art.

But the scholarship gave her something beyond tuition money. "That was the first time that I got to showcase my work to the public, and you have this confidence boost because you did win," she explained.

Now Cimino pays it forward by supporting the same program that believed in her. "They're the best," she said of the group. "What they're doing is really important for kids and for the future of artists, and just giving them representation and confidence and a little financial support."

This year's scholarship recipients from Lewis Palmer High School and Palmer Ridge High School are already following in her footsteps, proving that investing in young artists creates careers that last lifetimes.