Since I’ve lived in Renton, I have been surprised by how many kids are involved in the arts and how talented they are.

When we think about young people and art, we may think of wonder children and prodigies such as 15-year-old pianist, McKenzie Fysh. She was the recipient of last years’ first Arts Alive for Youth scholarship, which was started to celebrate the 50th year of the Allied Arts of Renton organization.

She played beautifully last year at the Fall Arts Equinox, and also at Renton Community Foundation’s annual Circle of Giving Awards.

When I was a child, I couldn’t decide whether to be an artist or a writer. On my seventh Christmas, my father made me an artist’s easel. My first painting was of the mountains west of the Santa Clara Valley. My parents encouraged my artistic efforts. I still have the poetry I started writing when I was 9.

The last day of this month, I will turn 69, and I still haven’t decided what I want to be when I grow up.

Creative arts play a part in the lives of the children of Renton in many ways.

A few months ago my 9-year-old grandson Cole and his neighbor friend Amelia decided to collect rocks. When they brought a whole box in the house, I wondered why. They cleaned them up and painted them with images and words. Then waving goodbye, they went up and down our street selling them to neighbors and random passing cars.

We live on a narrow, rarely traveled county road, so there weren’t a lot of available customers, but apparently the neighbors either loved their artistic endeavors, or took pity on them, because they both came back with fists-full of money.

The embarrassing part was when we found out they told everyone we needed money to pay for damages caused by a leaky roof! But I still admired their artistry and entrepreneurial spirit!

These two also started making videos with a smart phone, casting my grandson’s gecko as the lead as they posed him in various places in the house, creating drama with our cats as willing supporting actors.

One of our gifted young residents is Natalie Gress, a student at Liberty High School, who is a performing actor, an award winner in a recent FilmFrenzy event in Renton and is the youth board member of the Renton Municipal Arts Commission.

During Renton River Days, the Allied Arts of Renton organization sponsors a judged chalk art contest on the tennis courts at Liberty Park. I see these kids of all ages, hands covered with colorful chalk, happily creating very temporary, but awesomely creative masterpieces on the concrete.

Our local youth are also encouraged to develop their creativity through the Washington State PTA cultural-arts competition called Reflections. I was a judge at one of Renton’s elementary schools for the photography and creative writing competition. The purpose of the program is to provide an opportunity for students to use their creative talents by expressing themselves through their own original works.

I also love the annual art show held at the Carco Theatre during Renton River Days. There are awards given for artists of all ages.

The year before last, I photographed local artist Doug Kyes, proudly standing by one of his two granddaughters who both received awards. Doug is a local artist who has many amazing art pieces on public display in Renton. There must be something about Renton that creates multi-generational artists!

If we were to look at nearly every child in Renton, we would find budding artists and creative souls, each finding their own means of expression. Whether they are painting rocks, putting on plays, molding with play-dough or pasting glitter and macaroni onto construction paper, they are each expressing their vision of the world through art.

As their caregivers and friends, we are each given an opportunity to recognize and nurture their gifts. Who knows where those skills may take them in the future?

I know there are many more creative kids in Renton that I have yet to meet. I hope they all pursue their dreams and that we, as a community, do everything we can to support them.

As for what I want to be when I grow up, there’s still time to decide, right?