Meet Clement Yeh, Director at Large of the KAC Board!
With experience as a volunteer and as a jury member for both Art Exposed and Art in the Park, Clement Yeh is clearly dedicated to the Kamloops Arts Council and its cause; it should not come as a surprise, then, that he would eventually join the KAC’s Board of Directors as its Director at Large. An artist himself, Clement has been making art for more than 25 years and truly treasures this path he has been fortunate enough to set out on. Motivated by his love for the arts, Clement pursued a career in the field, becoming a visual arts instructor at our own Thompson Rivers University. As his love for the arts was fostered for many years, Clement hopes to pass on that enthusiasm through his role as a teacher and as a member of the Arts Council. “I’ve been incredibly lucky to have been mentored by many art teachers and art professionals to be where I am today,” Clement says about his long history with the fine arts. “I feel an obligation to pass that knowledge forward [and] I hope to give back to the larger art community that has given my life so much value.”
Through his work with the KAC, Clement is surely accomplishing his goals. As Director at Large, he works with the board, the committee members, and KAC’s executive director to assess the Council’s goals and challenges and tries his best to guide its future in a positive direction. He hopes his presence and experience will help grow the Arts Council, particularly by mentoring and advocating for younger artists as was done for him. “I get tremendous satisfaction from developing the skills to create beautiful or thoughtful things,” Clement expresses, “and as a teacher, I hope to inspire others to develop those skills for themselves. I believe that most people have more creativity than they are willing to admit.”
It is through the KAC that Clement hopes to nurture that untapped creativity, noting that the KAC is “the only non-profit grassroots arts organization of its kind in Kamloops and the surrounding region” and that its programming and scope are both vast. He admires the KAC’sambition to help local artists develop their voice and hopes that his own passion will aid in accomplishing its goals.
Clement believes art is a crucial part of our lives, saying “At its core, art is a vehicle for self-discovery and self-reflection. We are all longing to make some kind of mark in the world and communicate our experience within it.” He further notes that the Covid-19 pandemic has brought to light the significance of art, pointing out that creativity can help us process difficult emotions and can aid in our need to stay connected. As mentioned, Clement himself is an artist with experience in most mediums, though his favourites are graphite, charcoal, and ink. He cites building Lego sets as an inventive, but slightly less serious, form of creativity he engages in to wind down from time to time.
Looking to the future, Clement believes the best-case scenario for the Kamloops Arts Council is that it continues to grow a dedicated membership and supportive community while maintaining financial stability. He is confident in the Council and the community’s ability to accomplish these goals, saying “This community believes in the role that arts can play towards personal growth and a culturally rich society.” With Clement’s experience and drive, the Kamloops Arts Council is certain to make great strides onward and upward.
Check out the KAC Board Members here!