May 1, 2020
Hi Friends,
It has now been seven weeks since we have been working from home, physical distancing, and trying to stay sane, while also trying to maintain some semblance of a routine and normalcy. And, guess what? We've made it! Congratulations! And we will make it the rest of the way together!
I’m not exactly sure what the “rest of the way” looks like, or how long it will take to get there, but I surely cannot believe it is MAY! I have been looking back over the past month and reflecting on what has transpired while thinking about all of the festivals and events we had been looking forward to in April—art openings at Oceanside Library, Mira Costa STEAM festival, Earth Day activities—just to name a few. While we have certainly missed being able to gather in person with our community, it warms my heart to witness how creative everyone has gotten to bring activities online for virtual experiences. Art brings so much joy to our lives, now more than ever.
So many businesses are doing such a great job in Oceanside keeping our spirits up and keeping us alive and thriving by providing critical resources! I would be remiss not to thank all the restaurants, grocery stores, and other essential businesses who have remained open during this crisis. And of course, an on-going and extra SPECIAL thank you to local healthcare workers, across the US and throughout the world, who have worked so hard to protect and keep us healthy. We have continued to honor these heroes by asking you to take a moment to draw a thank you picture, post it on social media, and tag #thankyouhealthcareworkers or #hcwshoutout …they continue to need our love and support!
As for Studio ACE, in this last month, we announced the winner of our Teen Art Contest, we compiled (and are still compiling) tons of free Art Resources on our website to keep those creative juices flowing, and we created and gave out over 1200 FREE ART KITS (with a waiting list that keeps growing!) full of art supplies and creative inspiration to Oceanside students and members of our community! WOW!
I would be remiss if we did not say a HUGE THANK YOU for the monetary contributions and donations of art supplies that we have received that made the Art Kits possible. We are SO incredibly grateful for your support during this challenging time. It has allowed us to keep bringing art to our community, and what a wonderful community we are part of!!
So what’s next? First and foremost, please stay safe and healthy. This will end, but we must continue to do our part to help it end! Keep washing your hands and physical distancing/wearing a mask while in public….but please do take the time to sit or walk outside and enjoy nature, listen to music, paint, draw, dance, sing, and use the arts to keep your hearts happy and thriving. ACE continues to be here for you to help you do this! Besides the Free Art Kits, ACE staff and instructors are working on more creative online resources, including art project how-to videos, virtual instructional art classes, and more. Stay tuned for updates! Now more than ever it’s time to stay connected and get creative! Until we see each other in the Studio again…let’s stay virtually inspired!
Warmly,
Julia Fister, Executive Director
