“Everything that is painted directly and, on the spot, always has strength, a power, and a vivacity of touch one cannot recover in the studio.. .Three strokes of the brush in front of nature are worth more than two days of work at the easel.” -Eugene Boudin
This quote from Eugene Boudin says it all. Beyond the confines of the classroom, creativity can flourish, unlocking a host of developmental benefits in the process, stimulate brain development, benefit mental health, allows time for quiet contemplation, meditation, mindfulness of your surroundings, and improves the ability for sustained concentration - just to name a few.
Arts Day was launched in 2011 with support from the State of the Arts License Plate tags and Target Stores as one of the many ways to support arts education in our community. Each year students are invited to participate through their teachers at the five area public and private high schools: Jensen Beach High School, Martin County High School, South Fork High School, Clark Advanced Learning Center and The Pine School - over 600 students have been impacted!. Students are paired with a Professional Artists for a day of mentoring and learning! Over the years, instruction has been presented in both traditional and non-traditional media categories which have included: Acrylic, Ceramics, Drawing, Oils, Pastels, Photography, Shibori & Indigo dye, Stained Glass and Watercolor.
Students begin their day with a short introduction to “Plein Air” painting and the life of being a professional artist. This provides the students with an increased understanding of the long-standing tradition of plein air in the fine arts world. Then small groups of students are paired with the professional artists in their selected mediums to work intensively for the rest of the day. The end of the experience includes an evaluation of the day and a critique led by the participating artists of their colleagues works.
The program is partially funded through the State of the Arts License Plate program. To purchase or renew your "State of the Arts" license plate, visit your local Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles service center in Martin County.
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2024
Around 80 high school students from local schools assembled at Memorial Park in downtown Stuart for an immersive art workshop. During this event, they collaborated in small groups with artists who not only shared art techniques but also insights into life as professional artists. Participants engaged in focused sessions with the following artists across five media categories:
- Ceramics: Josephine Stokes
- Field Sketching: Jordan Silvia
- Mixed Media: Alice Laputka
- Relief Printmaking: Dan Gorostiaga
- Photography: Steven Martine
Support for this event is provided by the "State of the Arts" License Plate program and supplies are sponsored by Stuart Art Supply & Studio.
Photo credit: Steven Martine
View event video provided by Martin County School District (coming soon).
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2023
Approximately 80 local high school gathered at Memorial Park, downtown Stuart, for this semi-annual field trip to work in small groups in with artists who share not only their lessons in art, but in life as a professional artist. Participants in this intensive session, worked with the following artists in one of five media categories -- ceramics - Molly Potter Thayer & May Wong, field sketching - Julia Kelly, acrylic - Brenda Leigh, shibori/indigo dyeing - Suzanne Connors, and photography - Thomas Winter & Steven Martine.
Support for this event is provided by the "State of the Arts" License Plate program and supplies are sponsored by Stuart Art Supply & Studio.
Photo credit: Thomas Winter
View event video provided by Martin County School District
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2022
This semi-annual arts education program brought together local high school visual art students from Jensen Beach High School, Martin County High School, South Fork High School, Clark Advanced Learning Center and The Pine School and Martin County’s most talented professional artists for a day of mentoring and learning! A total of 80 students were invited to participate for a 5-hour intensive session with a choice to work with professional artists in one of five media categories watercolor - Alice Laputka, pastels - Sheryl Levine, acrylic - Danuta Rothschild, indigo dyeing - Suzanne Connors, and photography - Maria Miele.
Special thanks to our incredible instructors and volunteers who made this year an amazing success! We would also like to thank Stuart Art Supply and Studio for their generous sponsorship of supplies. Support for this event is provided by the "State of the Arts" License Plate program - buy your plate today.
Photo credit : Liz McKinley Photography
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2018
This semi-annual arts education program brought together local high school visual art students from Jensen Beach High School, Martin County High School, South Fork High School, Clark Advanced Learning Center and The Pine School and Martin County’s most talented professional artists for a day of mentoring and learning! A total of 80 students were invited to participate for a 5-hour intensive session with a choice to work with professional artists in one of five media categories: Pastel – Alice Laputka, Watercolor – Deborah Elaine, Acrylic – Brenda Leigh, Photo – Tom Winter, Ceramics – Gail Kosowski.
Special thanks to our incredible instructors and volunteers who made this year an amazing success! We would also like to thank Stuart Art Supply and Studio for their generous sponsorship of supplies. Support for this event is provided by the "State of the Arts" License Plate program - buy your plate today.
Photo credit: Thomas Winter
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2017
This semi-annual arts education program brought together local high school visual art students from Jensen Beach High School, Martin County High School, South Fork High School, Clark Advanced Learning Center and The Pine School and Martin County’s most talented professional artists for a day of mentoring and learning! A total of 80 students were invited to participate for a 5-hour intensive session with a choice to work with professional artists in one of five media categories watercolor - Pastel – Lynne Barletta, Watercolor – Carol Baehren & Julia Kelly, Acrylic – Cristina De la Vega, Photo – Tom Winter.
Special thanks to our incredible instructors and volunteers who made this year an amazing success! We would also like to thank Stuart Art Supply and Studio for their generous sponsorship of supplies. Support for this event is provided by the "State of the Arts" License Plate program - buy your plate today.
Photo credit :Thomas Winter
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2016
Arts Day returns for its 5th year! Students again gathered at Memorial Park in downtown Stuart to work in small groups with local artist instructors. This location was selected to celebrate and connect the day with an exhibition at the Court House Cultural Center. “Masters & Mentors” and honored local artists who have given back to our community through teaching, mentoring, and civic involvement. The open-air workshops were conducted by Alice Laputka (pastels), Carol Baehren (watercolor), Julia Kelly (water-soluble oils), Tom Winter (photography), and Jim Dirks (stained glass).
Special thanks to our incredible instructors and volunteers who made this year an amazing success! Support for this event is provided by the "State of the Arts" License Plate program - buy your plate today.
Photo credit: Thomas Winter
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2015
This year, on February 24, 2015, 80 students and their teachers were inspired at The U.S. Sailing Center in Jensen Beach, Florida, on the north end of Indian Riverside Park. Students studied under local professional artists for the intensive session in five media categories: Branda Leigh (Acrylic), Mimi McCallum (Drawing), Lynne Barletta (Pastels), Tom Winter (Photography), and Julia Kelly (Watercolor). The students learned about creating art in natural light and gathering their inspiration from the local sites that included sailboats, docks, river views, mangroves, landscapes, and skyscapes.
Special thanks to our incredible instructors and volunteers who made this year an amazing success! Support for this event is provided by the "State of the Arts" License Plate program - buy your plate today.
Photo credit: Thomas Winter
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2014
As part of our commitment to promote and support the arts in the community, local artists guided 75 art students from Martin County’s high schools in a Plein Air art experience with Florida TRAC (Thoroughbred Retirement and Adoptive Care) at Sunlight Ranch in Indiantown, Florida on February 4, 2014. This location was selected to celebrate and connect the day with an exhibition at the Court House Cultural Center. The show was titled “Inside Track” and featured three artists, a sculptor, a photographer and a painter. The open-air workshops were conducted by Pamela Hoke (acrylic), Lynne Barletta (pastels), Tom Prestopnik (sketching), Susana Cremin (watercolor), and Tom Winter (photography) for groups of students selected by their high school art teachers. The students learned about creating art in natural light and gathering their inspiration from the local sites at the ranch that included barns, training facilities, horses, skyscapes and landscapes. In addition to the local instructors, several community volunteers and a local plein air painting group joined in with the day’s activities.
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2013
The 2nd Plein Air Arts Day, on March 13, featured 70 local high school juniors and seniors working with local artists for a plein air experience to enhance the visual arts education of Martin County’s high school visual arts students. Participating visual arts students were from Martin County, Jensen Beach, South Fork High Schools, Clark Advanced Learning and The Pine School.
Students chose to study under artists Lynne Barletta (pastels), Jesse Etelson (sketching), Susana Cremin (watercolors), Pam Hoke (acrylics), or Tom Winter (photography). Artist and Arts Council Board Chairman Lisa P. Young spoke to the group about life as an artist at the Gazebo Park before the students and teachers gathered at Memorial Park in the downtown Stuart.
A grant from Target funded the event, and was matched by Arts License Plate funds. Stuart Art Supply partnered with The Arts Council for the art supplies needed for the event. Lunch was provided by Bagel Brothers.
