Schools

Famed artist paints with Lenox students in Baldwin

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Lenox Elementary School kindergartners in Mrs. Kelly Iannone’s class recently went from painting with their fingers to painting with acrylics, receiving direct training from local artist Fred Mezilas, whose murals hang on walls all over the world.

The students’ work — paintings of a mountain landscape — was then sold during a silent auction hosted by Lenox for students’ families. The proceeds will go to developing a student mural in Lenox’s STEAM, or Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math, Lab.

In addition, a private art show was held the evening of PTA Founders’ Day for the students and Baldwin families to celebrate all of the beautiful pieces and the young artists behind them.

A Baldwin resident and the parent of student Fred Mezilas, Mezilas was born in Haiti and studied at the Ecole Nationale des Arts (ENARTS). The charismatic artist now teaches painting, drawing and pottery in New York.

His works, whether realistic, surreal, abstract, or cubist, represent Haitian culture and history, and his award-winning paintings have been exhibited in art galleries in Haiti, Mexico and the United States. Mezilas has won multiple awards, and his work has been exhibited in various art galleries in Haiti, Mexico and the United States.