Life Art
As
Monroeville native and
celebrated artist, Kim Elcan
Sauers, is in high demand.
If your image of an artist is a reserved person,
sitting alone and painting quietly for hours – you’ve
got the wrong idea of Kim Elcan Sauers. Rarely
quiet and rarely alone, most days you’ll find her
having fun with a crowd of people, celebrating a
MONROEVILLE
ARTS COUNCIL
special occasion or event while painting caricatures
of attendees. And she loves every minute of it!
“The best part of what I do is that I get paid
to attend and do artwork at everyone’s parties,”
says Sauers. “I’ve been lucky enough to have the
opportunity to draw caricatures and create balloon
sculptures for 20 years that make
people smile.” She finds herself
in places like McDonald’s,
Kennywood Park, Console
Energy Center and Heinz
Field. “I am delighted to
be one of 10 caricature
artists invited every
year to work at the
Three Rivers Arts
Festival. We always
draw a crowd.”
It’s no wonder nine
entertainment agencies
have hired this lifelong
Monroeville resident to
perform at events throughout
the Pittsburgh area as well as
neighboring states. Her engaging personality helps
her to interact with patrons while she’s drawing
a caricature or creating balloon sculptures. “I
always notice the strength of my talents by the way
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people smile. This gives me a great sense of
accomplishment and makes me happy,” she adds.
When not working, Sauers volunteers her talents
to help several non-profit organizations. For the
Monroeville Art Council’s Art in the Park last
June, she cleverly fashioned broad-brimmed hats
from newspaper for each child. She then helped
them stretch their imagination by decorating the
hats with donated silk flowers, earrings, necklaces
and ribbons. Sauers also volunteered her hatmaking ability for at the Monroeville Historical
Society’s Children’s Activity Day, using feathers
and other decorations to reflect historical styles.
She is also called upon to lend her skills to projects
around her church, such as the outdoor signage
she adorned with a lighthouse and a mural for
the church nursery. She also serves on the board
of the Monroeville Arts Council and helps plan
many events,. “I’m looking forward to this year’s
kids’ event on June 14. It’s so nice to help children
develop their artistic skills.”
Sauers acknowledges, “I was aware of my artistic
aptitude at an early age. My kindergarten teacher at
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church told my mother
I was talented. I realized I could draw pretty well
while attending Evergreen Elementary. In seventh