With Arts & Entertainment Editor Kathy L. Collins
The Art Factory at Winthrop Arts held its Inaugural Instructors’ Show on Thursday, November 17 at the Art Factory in Riverview. The show featured the wildly talented instructors who provide creative and intelligent artistic instruction to the students who attend the Art Factory’s After School and Home School Programs.
The instructors who were featured include Bryant Martinez, the Winthrop Town Artist, Maurice Mullinax, Eddie Ewell, Neil Lennard, Anji Sulick and Tim Hoffmeister. Martinez teaches drawing and painting and mixed media. Martinez also leads the Home School program on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Mullinax teaches an interesting course called Core. Students learn the language of art (color theory, design, color wheel, etc.). Lennard teaches ceramics. Ewell leads students in Storytelling. Sulick and Hoffmeister are Teacher’s Assistants who provide instruction through projects including mosaics.
The Art Factory is led by Martinez who started it a few years ago in the Winthrop Pole Barn. It then moved to two repurposed containers. Teaching and inspiring young artists is a joy for Martinez, but doing this in the Florida elements with no air conditioning or bathrooms was difficult to say the least. “I am so happy to be in this place now. Seeing our students learning about all different kinds of mediums has inspired me to be more creative and really get back to creating art myself,” said Martinez.
The Inaugural Instructors’ Show was a hit with the instructors, students, parents and other visitors. Winthrop Founder, Kay Sullivan, who also serves as the president of the Winthrop Arts Board of Visionaries said, “The high level of positive energy and enthusiasm demonstrated by our visionaries, instructors, parents and students cannot be understated. It is as though everyone involved recognizes that there is something very special, almost magical that is taking place here in the Art Factory.”
Winthrop Arts became a nationally recognized 501 (c )(3) in September 2015. When it was established, one of the goals was to have a permanent space for the Art Factory. The Art Factory opened on October 3. The Instructors’ Show is a testament to the determination of everyone who worked tirelessly to get there.
Children five years and older may apply to attend the Art Factory. The Art Factory is located at 11267 Winthrop Main St. in the heart of Winthrop Town Center in Riverview. For more information on hours, pricing and classes, please visit www.winthroparts.org or email info@winthroparts.org or call 758-5161.
