How Saving the House Cleaning Money led to Art Education for Kids

“All great journeys start with a single step” – and so it is with the story of how the Youth Art Scholarship Fund got started at the Mountain Art Center in Ben Lomond, California.

Ten years ago, one of the local community members made a lifelong dream come true by starting the Mountain Art Center Youth Art Scholarship Fund.  Shari Edwards,  a single Mom of 3 small children,  wanted to take art classes as  a child, but her family was unable to afford it.  Over the years she kept her dream  of art alive in her heart for other children and finally found a way to help.  Shari noticed that  The Mountain Art Center (an Art Education non-profit organization) employed a cleaning service to keep the Gallery and Studio  neat and tidy.  She volunteered her cleaning service  with the condition that  the money that had been used to pay for cleaning  now be  deposited into a  Youth Scholarship Fund instead.

From this small beginning, the Youth Art Scholarship Fund continues to attract support from many quarters.  Local businesses, such as the New Leaf Market , make donations via “Community Days” where they provide a portion of their market sales.  The Ben Lomond Market donates via market card signups.  The Earth Matters Foundation donates in June of each year to make sure sufficient funds are available for the Summer Art Camp Scholarships.  Numerous individuals and other businesses and non-profits continue to give generously to make the dream of art a reality for local children.

The Fund provides 20 to 30 Youth Scholarships each Year.

The Youth Art Scholarship works with Valley Churches United and the Valley Resource Center to determine who shall receive a Scholarship.  Youth from families in financial or other crises; those interested in art.  All are carefully considered as scholarship recipients.

The Ripple in the Pond Effect

Shari could never have anticipated the effect her initial donations have had upon the lives of the many children who have since benefited from the Youth Art Scholarship Fund.  The ripple in the pond effect is powerful.  If you wish to add ripples of your own, you may contact the Mountain Art Center via their website at www.mountainartcenter.org – your donation is tax deductable.

Article written by: Suzanne Elliott – Freelance Writer – www.sueelliott.com

Beginners Mind

Help!  I forgot How to Paint Plein Air!

It’s been a long Winter and most of us haven’t been out plein air painting much.  In fact, it may have been months, depending on where we live.  But now things are looking up and the weather is nice enough to start venturing out there again.

But something has happened to our hard won skill of getting our gear together, setting up our equipment and then, actually painting.  We have become unaccustomed to all of it after the long plein air painting drought – we are rusty!

We can feel like beginners all over again.  We may even feel we don’t know how to do this anymore and get discouraged.

Be comforted and know that even the most seasoned and expert plein air painters feel this way from time to time.

It may even be a good thing.  It keeps us humble and with a Beginners Mind.

Zen masters strive for this Beginners Mind in everything.  It keeps us open to new ideas – eager to try fresh approaches and techniques.

Getting set in our ways as artists is a recipe for dull work and blunted creativity.

So let’s embrace the feeling of “I don’t knowness” and see where it takes us.  A new mix of colors?  A new canvas size or format?  A different type of composition that is daring and unusual?

It’s all  good, and part of the ever evolving journey as artists.

The more we get out there and paint, the more we love it.  Build it into your weekly routine and make time for art.

Here’s wishing all of us a good dose of Beginners Mind at the start of another glorious plein air painting season.

Join us in the Monthly Painting Challenge and see where it takes you.  We are all cheering you on and want to see your progress each month.

Here’s wishing you a good dose of Beginners Mind at the start of another