LOGAN – Michael Bingham, founder of Jump the Moon Art Studio and Gallery, recently stepped away from his work teaching art to people with different abilities.
After nine years, Bingham decided to turn his passion over to Candice Sorenson, who is the new executive director.
“When you work for a nonprofit, there is not much to retire on,” he said. “I’ve got to go back to what I have been doing for 43 years and try to make a living now.”
“We had good leadership and it was time for someone else to take over,” he said. “I have other things I want to do right now.”
Bingham contacted galleries he used in the past and hopes to have his work hanging in them soon. He is currently working on a large still life piece in his garage-turned-studio.
“I’ve reached out to several galleries that like impressionistic oil paintings,” he said. “Galleries that show a range of subjects.”
His studio is filled with objects that inspire him in different ways to create art. He has artwork he’s created over the years and objects that offer inspiration for future projects.
“I signed up for Summerfest Plein Air Contest,” Bingham said. “I’ve got some ideas of paintings I want to do.”
Although he is stepping away from Jump the Moon, he still has a desire to teach. Maybe basic drawing or something at Utah State University.
“Besides painting, I want to teach creative problem-solving or divergent thinking,” Bingham explained. “Industry was surveyed and the number one thing they were looking for is people who could problem solve. They said ‘please send us creative problem solvers.’”
He said today they don’t teach people to solve problems anymore. Students are faced with a lot of problems and when they are taught problem-solving skills they found there are lot of different ways to solve them.
“I love teaching and problem-solving is something that is not being taught,” he said. “My new mission is to keep teaching part time and sharing what I know.”
Scott Wakefield, another artist who has moved back to the area after teaching in Colorado, shares Bingham’s desire to teach problem solving skills.
Wakefield and Bigham are working on ideas about problem solving curriculum.
The Colorado art professor has written a book on creative leadership and between the two of them Bigham said they have some fun ideas.
Bingham spent about five years finding a studio space and bringing Jump the Moon to fruition. The nonprofit was started in 2017 and Bingham served as the founder, director and only employee during his time there. The location of the creative space has changed over the years but its mission to help people of all abilities to find their creative spirit never changed.
The new executive director will work alongside Board Chairman Jared Saunders and Jump the Moon’s revitalized board of directors to help the nonprofit continue to grow and serve the community.
While the leadership has changed, Jump the Moon remains the same: creativity, inclusion, friendship, and the belief that art is for everyone.