Page 15 - Martin Downs Bulletin - October '19

Martin Downs, Page 15
LoCaL arTs
Local Artist, Jan Clark,
Celebrates Her Time In Stuart
Jan Clark, 85 years old, realized her potential as an artist
later in life after becoming a “snowbird” in Stuart back in the
1990s. Jan, and her husband Bud, have proudly called Stuart
their second home having enjoyed the community’s passion for
fishing, golf, boating, art and friendship for decades. With over
25 years of good memories of Stuart and all it has to offer, Jan
and Bud made the difficult decision to downsize and reside solely
in Grosse Ile, Mich., to be closer to family.
Inspired by Stuart’s beautiful historic architecture, flowers,
plants and wildlife, Jan became not only a prolific artist
but painted her work from the many photos she had taken
locally over the years. Jan shared her artistic gifts by serving
as a teacher of watercolor painting with her beloved Stuart
friends (which they joyfully dubbed themselves as “the Stuart
Visit www.StuartAirShow.com for event info/tickets
sisters”). It is on the lanai of her home (at 3743 S.E. Fairway
East in Stuart Yacht and Country Club) in Stuart that Jan
and her fellow artists spent many days joyfully painting and
creating some of the best art of their lives. Together, the “Stuart
sisters” were bonded through both painting and friendship.
Jan’s “Stuart sisters” are Stuart, Port St. Lucie and Palm City
residents and include Barbara Hogan, Kay Norris, Lillie Davis,
Elsie Collins and Gerry Smith to name a few.
While Jan and her friends will miss their sunny Florida
afternoons together painting on the lanai, their friendship and
passion for creating art continues to this day overcoming both
time and distance. It was her son’s (Tom Clark Weeks) idea
to “event-ize” the selling of his family’s winter home. Rather
than packing up his mother’s paintings to be kept in boxes
ready for shipment back to Michigan, it seemed only fitting to
Tom the good energy created by his mom’s artwork be shared
during the showings of his parents’ home via a “pop-up” art
exhibit. Seven of Jan’s paintings (that used to adorn the walls
of their Stuart home) are temporarily on display throughout
the empty house during its showings. Jan believes the spirit
which forged creativity and a sense of community for she and
her friends will live on through the home’s next owners.
Jan is still an active member in the Martin County Art
Association and is recognized by the Miami Watercolor
Society. (Note: Original paintings are by Jan Clark and
photos are by Tom Clark Weeks. All permissions granting
for print and digital purposes.)
heaLTh TaLk
Florida Department Of Health
Provides Hepatitis A Vaccine
Outreach To Helping People
Succeed
The declaration
is heard loud and
clear that residents
of the Treasure
Coast should get
the Hepatitis A
vaccine in order to
be protected from
this contagious
virus. The Florida
Department of
Health (FDOH) in
Martin County has
confirmed that we
are experiencing
an outbreak here
as well as in many
other communities
across Florida, and
in many other states. Florida Department of Health
Our Department nurse Marybeth Pena administering
of Health has gone vaccine to Helping People Succeed
to great lengths to board member Barbara Essenwine.
make the vaccine
accessible to all residents. Recently they provided vaccines at
the United Way Community Conversations meeting and from
there offered to bring the vaccine to other locations. Helping
People Succeed took them up on the offer to schedule a
vaccination day for employees and customers, which took
place this week.
“We are so grateful for our longstanding partnership with
the Health Department, and especially appreciative that they
were willing to come to us to provide protection against
Hepatitis A,” said Kathy Derringer, senior vice president of
Helping People Succeed. “The vast majority of our services
are offered out in the community and in family homes, and
we always prioritize the health and safety of our staff and
the people we serve.”