Community Corner

Kings Park Artist Beautifies Hoyt Farm

Do you know the difference between a bluegill and a large mouth bass? Thanks to a young, talented artist at Hoyt Farm, learning the local animal species is as simple as a walk in the park.

Working at the farm for the summer, Jillian Mathosian, 22, of Kings Park, spends most of her days helping visitors navigate the park, feeding the animals and helping wherever an extra pair of hands is needed. However, when Jeff Gumin and Sheryl Brook, who run the farm, learned that Mathosian was an artist, they asked if she would put her creative skills to work, to beautify the park. The artist was happy to do so.

“I do this for fun at home, so being able to do it here is great,” she said.

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Mathosian now has her colorful paintings showcased along two of her favorite places at the park: one across from the apple orchard, and another, which will be placed at the pond.

The painting at the orchard helps visitors identify seven different kinds of local birds that one will see at the park by use of a map key. Some of those birds include great-horned owls, Baltimore orioles and black-capped chickadees.

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A second painting, which is not yet in place, will help visitors identify the different types of animals that live at the pond, including bull frogs, bluegills and large mouth bass.

“I like that it’s not just hanging on a wall, but that people can actually use it,” Mathosian said of her work.

She also said that her painting has helped her learn more about nature, and given her the ability to get to know the character-traits of the animals at the farm.

“I’ve gotten to know the local birds for bird watching,” she said, adding that all of the animals on the farm are their own characters.

“You start to pick up on their personalities. Some can be a little sassy,” she joked. “You can tell when they’re having a good day or a bad day.”

Having always loved art and nature, Mathosian, who studied painting for three years in college upstate, said that she hopes to become a children’s art teacher so that she can continue to work with kids and do what she loves to do.


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