A Passion to Inspire Other Artists Attracts Young Painters

Last fall, when I decided to write this column about the process of making a painting while painting in and around San Bruno, my goal was to encourage other artists to join in the creative fun.

I know that all artists approach their work differently and each can offer a different perspective. So when I would announce where I was painting, I was expecting other adults to join me every time.

When outside the , however, something else happened.

I discovered a lot of students spent time there after school, reading, studying and visiting with friends outside. I also noticed many of them on the computers. That’s when I thought of offering an art class or creative time for those students.

A few months later, after conversations with John Alita, the assistant library director, and Barbara Bruxvoort, the children's services manager, we launched a free program called on April 14. About 25 students left their books and computer time to see what all the action was around the picnic table outside the library.

Paint brushes of all sizes with colors of the rainbow danced onto art projects. Two teams of artists painted the art supply box. Inside the box are the supplies they will be learning to use to finish creative homework projects, develop their artistic styles, or relax and have some creative fun.

Others created colorful designs, birds and trees, which stretched out along the wall to dry. Conversations and laughter filled the air. We talked about art and the beautiful things we will be painting in the weeks to come.

To my surprise, they told me they wanted a website to display their work. I smiled and agreed. So we launched the Art Recreation Time website in the form of a blog with photos of students’ work.

On April 21 we met again. I provided an all-purpose brush that could make skinny lines, fat lines, smooth strokes and carry many colors. Learning what the brush could do was like getting to know a new friend.

The friendship with the brush grew in the hands of the artists as they practiced making lines and landing the brush, like an airplane, into shapely strokes. Together we looked around us at the blue sky and wispy clouds above, and the trees and bushes in the foreground and distance. I suggested brush strokes to use to make the scene into an interesting painting.

I sat along side a young artist, painting the same scene, listening to her humming softly.

We both seemed to have gotten lost in our paintings. We looked at our paintings together. Amazingly wonderful!

They were similar but very different. I told her many could paint the same scene but they would not look alike.

Our hearts, heads and hands are unique. And through them and the colored brush, a one-of-a-kind painting is created.

Janet Arline Barker is a San Bruno artist who specializes in plein-art painting. Her column appears biweekly on Sundays.

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