The Grimshaw family is split right down the middle: three boys… three girls… three artists… and three who do, well, “other things.”

“My husband Bryan, and older son, Seth, are definitely not into art; but John, my 10-year-old, seems to be still deciding,” Camille Grimshaw said. “But my guess is, he’ll find other things to do also.”

That seems to be OK though – because the Grimshaw girls are gathering plenty of trophies and ribbons for their artwork at shows throughout the Wasatch Front.

Erin Grimshaw has earned the Taylorsville Art Show “People’s Choice” award, two years running. (Carl Fauver/City Journals)

During this fall’s annual Taylorsville Art Show at the Mid-Valley Performing Arts Center, mom Camille Grimshaw, Utah Valley University freshman Erin Grimshaw, 18, and middle schooler Aven, 12, entered a total of nine pieces. They went home with seven ribbons and awards between them.

Perhaps most impressive, last year’s Visual Arts Sterling Scholar winner for the Wasatch Region, Erin Grimshaw, earned the “People’s Choice” award at the Taylorsville show for a second consecutive year. 

It’s all a far cry from how Camille Grimshaw got started in a field that’s kept her busy for more than 30 years.

“During summer break following my sixth-grade year, I took a one-week drawing class and came out with a horse drawing,” Camille Grimshaw said. “Without telling me, my grandmother decided to enter it in the county fair. It was the first time I ever saw my art hanging in public display. I didn’t win a ribbon; but I was hooked.” 

Six years later, Camille was graduating from Olympus High School (1998), and five years after that she had her bachelor’s degree in Art and Education from Westminster College.

Camille Grimshaw has been teaching art for several years, while also “giving pointers” to her two artistic daughters. (Carl Fauver/City Journals)

Since then, she’s been teaching art, either at schools or through private lessons. Older daughter Erin Grimshaw says her mom never really gave her a lot of art instruction, but has always been available to offer sage advice.

“I took a few art lessons from mom when I was maybe 9; but she kicked me out because I wasn’t paying close enough attention,” Erin said. “Since then, I’ve thought of her as my ‘art manager.’ She helps me with ideas and offers advice whenever I have a question about what to do next with a certain piece. Mom has inspired me since I was very little.”

With her Sterling Scholar win last spring, Erin Grimshaw earned a variety of scholarship offers. She is now making her way back and forth to Utah Valley University each day because “they made me the best offer – so far, college has not cost me anything.”

Meantime, this was only the second year for younger daughter/sister Aven to enter pieces into the Taylorsville Art Show. Her acrylic painting of a girl wading into the ocean, entitled “Catalina,” earned a second-place ribbon in the show’s youth division.

“I’m very excited to win a ribbon this year,” Aven said. “Like my sister, I’ve enjoyed art from the youngest age. I plan to try for the Sterling Scholar, like her, in a few years.”

Aven Grimshaw was one of the youngest entrants to take home a ribbon from this year’s Taylorsville Art Show. (Carl Fauver/City Journals)

Camille Grimshaw believes a big reason why her daughters have gravitated toward art is that she herself was not willing to set it completely aside to raise her family. She would like to see more moms do the same.

“I took a long break from teaching art in schools – from 2008 to 2021 – so I could raise my kids,” Camille Grimshaw said. “But I never stopped creating art. I taught private lessons at my home. I think it’s important our children see we can do more. I believe too many new moms feel what I call ‘mom guilt.’ They set all of their interests aside too often. I think it’s important for kids to see us doing more – not necessarily art…but whatever a mom is passionate about.”

Interestingly, the Grimshaw girls have now become more passionate about a genre of art you can’t hang on a wall or set on a shelf: chalk art.

“Erin and I just returned from a chalk art festival in Georgia where we worked together on a 10-by-10-foot section of sidewalk,” Camille Grimshaw said. “I have done well over 100 chalk art pieces… Erin’s done at least 80… and Aven has created maybe 30 of them. Sometimes we work together; but most we do on our own. Obviously, you can’t keep any of them, except in photographs. I think of it like acting in a play or performing a piece of music. You can’t take that with you either. But it’s all art.”

You can see more of the Grimshaw family’s art on their website, camillioncreations.com.