Taking a clue from the book, I painted the modernist bridge against the anachronist Red lighthouse. My contemporary approach in the lighthouse art painting is a delightful, refreshing and compelling contrast to the historic lighthouse.
The Art Guild of Orange Park is partnering with St. Johns Day School for an exhibit at their new Performing Arts Center. See breathtaking art by artists from local artists. Orange Park, Florida now through January 6, 2025.
I selected my painting of the Little Red Lighthouse, or Jeffrey’s Hook Lighthouse, as it reflects the power of children to create change.
Made famous by the children’s book The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge by Hildegarde W. Swift and Lynd Ward, the story inspired hundreds of children to write letters that saved the lighthouse.
Today, it stands as the last lighthouse on the Hudson River and the only remaining one in Manhattan. A tribute to the power of youth.
A meet and greet for students begins on October 28 at 2 pm and concludes at 4 pm with parents joining in on the discussion.
Explore the Miami Beach Art Deco District through of the eyes children. Splash and Color is an 18 page multicultural coloring book featuring popular sites in Florida’s second most popular destination.
This year, Miami Beach Art Deco Weekend celebrates Florida’s Historic Coastal. These destinations alone draw tourists from around the world. Close to 100.00 visitors attended Miami Beach Art Deco Weekend last year.
The event has expanded, offering free fitness classes, a Classic Car Show, live jazz, an Artisan Market, Kids Zone, and more.
The Arf Deco Dog Walk adds a playful touch, while tours and sketch walks provide additional highlights.
The weekend not only honors Barbara Capitman’s contributions but also advocates for the preservation of the city’s rich architectural heritage,
Capitman’s unwavering vision and determination gave rise to the iconic Art Deco District, the first 20th-century neighborhood listed on the National Register of Historic Places. She was the founder of the Miami Design Preservation League.
I was surprised to get an email from Etsy asking if I wanted to “opt out of Father’s Day” emails. According to the Census Bureau 18.4 million children live without a father in the United States. Seems that some men have opted out being involved in their children’s lives. But opting out seems like a “cop out” and doesn’t address the bigger problem.
Fathers who do not live with their children have an impact by their absence. Their children have higher rates of homelessness, incarceration and drug addiction.
Every time I visit Hillsboro Lighthouse and see the statue of the “Barefoot Mailman” I think about my father who faithfully served the Postal Service.
Men don’t have to be perfect but involved. Children need positive male role models who are actively involved in their lives. Building time with your child builds self confidence.
The pandemic has been especially hard on children. They need help navigating the challenges they face. Peers are a poor substitute. Because of social media, most children spend more time with their peers than with either of their parents. Kids are not the only ones addicted to social media. Parents are often distracted as well. It takes a conscious and consistent effort.
My art is shaped by my childhood trips to Fort George Island with my father. My passion for history and the ocean began early. While my father fished, I played on the jetties and splashed on the beach with my siblings.
Look for everyday opportunities to spend time with your child. Try to see the world from your child’s perspective. Try sharing activities like going to the store, shopping, preparing food, playing games and discussing their interests.
Summer is a great time to spend with your child. They may be more open to spending time with you.
Have breakfast outside with your children minus the phones.
Play family board games.
Take a nature walk together.
Create a family playlist.
Plan a road trip together.
Time with your child creates lifetime memories that will help anchor them throughout their lives and remind them just how important they are to you.
When my children were young, we had play dates. Each child would select an activity for everyone for a morning. My son’s favorite activity was going to the playground at the lake. As he grew older, he wanted to try fishing. We bought him one of those fishing reels for children to practice his angling skills. As he grew older, fishing became a lifelong passion.
As teenagers he and his fishing buddy would venture to the most dangerous places in search of bass and other fish. I tried my best to discourage his sense of “adventure” but he constantly outwitted me until I gave up.
When he entered college, he majored in Marine Biology to pursue his childhood love.
We tend to “downplay” the importance of play in children’s lives. The Academy of Pediatricians states that play is fundamentally important in developing skills such as problem solving, collaboration and creativity.
Splash and Color is an 18 page multicultural coloring book featuring popular sites in Florida’s second most popular destination.
Miami Beach is a hub of creativity. In December, Art lovers from around the world flock to its sunny shores during Art Basel; the United States biggest art fair.
Art Deco Weekend continues the momentum and fanfare on January 13-15. Its 800 plus Art Deco buildings are the largest concentration of Art Deco buildings in the world.
Explore the Miami Beach Art Deco District through the eyes of children. Splash and Color is an 18 page multicultural coloring book featuring popular sites in Florida’s second most popular destination.
I waited four years for an opportunity to visit the Staten Island Lighthouse. It was closed to visitors and hidden behind trees.
The beautiful, pyramidal 1912 lighthouse lived up to my expectations. The statuesque brick lighthouse stood solemnly upon cascading stairs like an Mayan temple. The plush green foliage surrounding it seemed to bow in submission.
Children can often rally the super hero in parents.
We love stories about the underdog. Seeing others overcome incredible odds empowers us. Perhaps that explains the appeal many have for super heroes. But there lies within us the same power. It is often during a crisis we harness the super hero within us.
Two years after moving to Miami, Barbara Capitman’s husband died. Instead of packing up her bags and feeling sorry for herself she decided to make new friends and help others. She looked at Miami Beach and saw the old boarded up buildings and the needy people living in them. Developers only saw the buildings and wanted to tear them down.
Barbara Capitman fought developers and city officials “tooth and nail” to preserve the historical buildings. She briefly laid in front of bulldozers to block demolition of a building. She literally laid down her life for the buildings in Miami Beach.
If not for Capitman’s vision, fortitude and perseverance, there would not be an Art Deco District. It was the first 20th century neighborhood placed on the National Register of Historic Places much to her efforts.
After learning about Capitman, I became an avid supporter of preservation. I began painting Miami Beach Art Deco Buildings and created my Art Deco coloring book.
Native Americans have lived in Maine for thousands of years. Today the four Maine Tribes are the Maliseet, Micmac, Penobscot, and Passamaquoddy known as the Wabanaki.
The State of Maine has a great kids website complete with games, coloring sheets and interesting programs and fun facts about Maine’s wildlife.
While Maine is famous for lobster, Maine has a variety of black bears, moose, puffin, etc. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has compiled a list of fun animal tracks for bobcats, mountain lions, coyotes and more for children to explore.
There are a variety of cool programs for youth. During IndigenousHeritage Month, Maine offers a Native American Essay Program for Maine’s student residents. Essays are reviewed by a panel of judges, who will select top entries for middle and high schoolers.Deadline for submission is November 12.
The Statue of Liberty in New York is recognized as a symbol of freedom. A broken shackle and chain lays at her feet representing the abolition of slavery.
Thousands of African Americans migrated to the North between 1900 and 1920 to escape economic hardship and racism and to search for human dignity and financial opportunity.
The veterans of World War I who had fought “to make the world safe for democracy” were determined to make democracy work at home.
From this mass migration, urbanization, and military participation, a dynamic artistic community evolved. The excitement permeated many communities, but New York’s Harlem became the center.
The President’s Proclamation on this year’s National Arts and Humanities Month recognizes the importance of the arts during the Pandemic. The arts not only help us to understand our experiences but lifts our spirits. The arts indeed have the ability to heal our collective wounded spirits.
According to the proclamation, the arts have been recognized as a foundation of our Republic since its beginning. George Washington wrote in 1781, “The arts and sciences are essential to the prosperity of the State and to the ornament and happiness of human life.”
Multicultural Art 4 Kids 