Giving back is always in style! There is really nothing more fabulous than a generous and caring heart. Ivanka Ska, fashion designer and featured designer participant in Fashion Week Tampa Bay (2008 & 2009), has always been active in her community. For the past two years, she has been a guest artist at Creative Clay, a non-profit organization providing local artists with developmental, physical, and/or emotional disabilities an opportunity to pursue their passion for art making.

Creative Clay has a mentoring program called ArtLink, which pairs up local artists, like Ivanka, with Creative Clay member artists for a six month period. The local artist mentors, develops ongoing projects and helps their ArtLink partner create statements, resumes, a budget, the importance of networking, and community involvement. After the completion of the mentoring program, they present the final project they have been working on for six months.

The ArtLink showcase will take place at the St. Petersburg Museum of History this Saturday, July 9th at 7pm. Ivanka’s student, Galynn L. is very excited to showcase what she’s been working on. Galynn loves to draw fashion designs, play with her dogs, and spend time at Creative Clay. Ivanka said that they had so much fun together making art with their “fashion heads.”

“This is my second time working with an Artlink partner. Last year I had a great time working with Artie, who at the end of her program presented an amazing fashion show,” Ivanka says. “I’m so excited for the connections I make during my wonderful time with the Creative Clay students who have mental and physical disabilities. Seeing how art can perform miracles leaves me speechless.”

Witness what the power of making art and helping others can do this Saturday, July 9, 2011 at the Creative Clay ArtLink showcase.

Ivanka and Galynn

Galynn making art!