On May 2, students from Courtney Young’s Drawing and Painting class in Bethpage High School took their studies outdoors with a visit to Planting Fields Arboretum in Oyster Bay.
Surrounded by blooming spring flowers and sweeping landscapes, the students immersed themselves in the environment to practice plein air painting – a technique they had been studying in class.
During the trip, students were tasked with creating small observational studies of plants, flowers or trees, with the option to expand their focus to broader landscape scenes.
Painting and drawing outdoors allowed them to engage all their senses, leading to a richer, more accurate representation of color and value than what is typically achieved by working from photographs.
With sketchbooks and paint sets in hand, the students had the freedom to explore the entire historic Gold Coast estate.
After a productive morning of artmaking, they gathered for a picnic lunch, enjoying the sunshine and serene beauty of one of Long Island’s most stunning public gardens.
It was a memorable afternoon of creativity and connection with nature – an inspiring day that brought classroom learning to life.
