SAN MARCOS ART LEAGUE
Local youth receive Art Scared Awards
What better way to celebrate the spooky season than with some friendly competition? San Marcos Art League hosted Art Scared in which downtown businesses allowed area youth to paint Halloween themed murals on their windows.
“I grew up in a smallish town, Rye, New York, which is outside of the city,” said Nancy Brown, San Marcos Art League board member and San Marcos Art Center director. “Every year at Halloween, they would have the kids come down and paint the windows of the merchants in the downtown area. And I thought, this could work. So I brought it to the board, and they were like, “That sounds great.’ And that's how it started.”
There were three categories based on age and around 50 students that participated. The winners of the elementary school category were Henry Kaiser — first place, Savannah Perez — second place and Hadrian Ashley — third place. The winners of the middle school category were Adelaide Hardaway — first place, Finley Bara — second place and John Paul Garza — third place. The winners of the high school category were Eris Garcia — first place, Paulina Carrion — second place and Autumn Friesenhahn — third place.
The winners received their awards at a reception held at the San Marcos Art Center on Oct. 26.
Brown said that fundraising for this event was so successful that they actually had funds left over that will be seed funds for next year's event. The biggest contributor was H-E-B, but they also received funds from the Kiwanis Club, River City Glass, San Marcos Mayor Jane Hughson, Cardinal Frame and Art, the Downtown Merchants Association as well as many others. They were able to purchase bags and washable paints that the kids were able to take home after the event. The first prize winners received $100, the second prize winners received $50 and the third prize winners received $25.
“Part of this was meant to supplement the school district art program, and then to give them art supplies and also to drive business down here to the square,” Brown said.
The Art Center hosts an event monthly with the Nov. show being a Red, White and Blue Veterans Appreciation exhibition that will occur from 6 to 8 p.m. on Nov. 8. Light refreshments will be served.
The art league also has a program called Art Shared in which one can bring in art materials that are no longer needed and trade them for ones that might be of better use. That program is usually available during the downtown Art Squared markets.
