Fairless families 'battle' on canvas
Independent staff report
Battle of the Brush Night brings community together to enjoy a night of food, artwork and friendly competition.
BREWSTER More than 100 families — about 400 people — gathered at Fairless Elementary on Thursday night for a friendly art competition.
The Battle of the Brush Night pitted families of students from kindergarten to seniors against each other.
For Jenny Best, elementary school art teacher and event organizer, it was about spending time together as a family.
"From beginning to end, the true focus was being together with family and enjoying each other. We don't take enough time for family," she said.
While Best stole the idea for the event from another teacher she met during a professional development day, she knew the district could adapt it for the Fairless community.
Through a grant from ArtsinStark, the event included a pizza dinner for each family and art supplies to create special pieces of artwork.
Each family, she said, received a Kraus' pizza and cookies — in the shape of a paint palette — from Main Street Deli to enjoy before setting out their masterpiece.
Participants received a poem. Each poem highlighted one of three words: family, friends or community. Artists drew inspiration for their work from the highlighted word.
After completing the artwork, participants were asked to vote for the best picture.
Winners were selected in each of the three categories, Best said. They were the Mueller family in the community category, the Schultz family in the family category and the Piercy family in the friends category.
"Even though there were 400 people here, it was so calm. They were relaxing and enjoying it," Best said, calling the evening a huge success. When it grew to 400 people, she had to turn some families away.
Best has received nothing but positive input from the event, and she hopes to do it again.
"The kids were so excited to come in (the next morning) and tell me how much fun they had," she added.