The First Step Daycare in Deadwood is collaborating with the Historic Deadwood/Lead Arts Council. The children that attend the daycare completed art projects for the Plein Air Paint Out in the Northern Hills. Local artists come from all over the state to paint landscapes in the Black Hills. The artworks are then auctioned off in a wet sale.
Kayla Klein is the Executive Director of the daycare. She says the kids gain valuable experience with this project by getting the opportunity to mix business with creativity.
“We had professional artists working with them so they were able to gain more of those like techniques that they were able to share that maybe some of our teachers couldn’t. Not only that, but just getting out into the community and letting the kids see their accomplishments in the community rather just within the Center itself too,” says Klein.
Children ranging in ages from eighteen months to twelve years old participated. The Plein Art Paint Out is an annual event. Plein Art is French for painting outside.