A little over a year ago, local Homemakers expressed the importance of a need for art related activities in the community. To help with this need, the Lee County Extension Service held a family painting class last July and this was just the start for a growing program. Thirty-four adults and children attended the first lesson. Over the past year, the Lee County Extension office has held a variety of different types of painting classes. The office has held classes for youth, adults, families, senior citizens, homemakers, and teachers.

Participants followed step by step instructions on how to paint a variety of paintings, while adding their own uniqueness to the painting. The FCS Agent demonstrated different brush strokes, along with paint blending techniques. While not only learning to boost creativity, the painting classes were also helpful in adding a different educational spin on learning other core areas. The FCS Agent used the painting class as a way to talk about relieving stress and making smart lifestyle choices. During the lesson, the SNAP assistant also added a healthy SNAP recipe to talk about. Another way the office incorporates healthy lifestyles, is to talk about the raised bed gardens. If there is anything growing in the raised beds, then we will take the participants, after the lesson, outside and let them pick whatever they like. 

Data gathered: 

166 participants have attended an Extension taught painting class for the first time. 

290 total participants attended over the course of a year. 

113 youth participants ages 12 and under attended over the course of a year.

191 adult participants, ages 12 and up attended the lessons over the course of a year. 

An average of 20 participants attend each class. 

A variety of painting classes have been offered with different levels of skill difficulty, to enhance creativity. Many participants were happy with what they had created and entered them in the county fair.