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Suffolk Art League’s annual visiting artist program returns in April with two talented professionals set to work with Suffolk elementary and middle school students.

Art League Education Coordinator Hillarey Breedlove announced this year’s visiting artists, Sofia Dakos and Angie Miller, in a news release.

“For our visiting artist program Suffolk Art League provides all necessary materials giving the instructor the capacity to visit schools and conduct their own specialty two-hour workshop,” Breedlove said.

Dakos is a certified art teacher with more than 25 years experience teaching both adult and children’s art classes from the private and public schools to nursing homes and community service centers. 

She is passionate about inspiring creativity in both children and adults, and firmly believes that making art should be enjoyable and not stressing about making mistakes, according to the release. 

“Everyone can appreciate art through discovery of their muse,” Dakos said.

According to the release, Dakos holds visiting artist workshops with Suffolk’s elementary schools from April 18-27, where she will visit 12 schools teaching her Artist Trading Cards workshop with students. The ATC Workshop gives the students the opportunity to explore their own creative expression on small trading cards offering them the option to share and swap with their peers. It’s a great interactive workshop that incorporates collage, and unconventional items allowing the students the freedom to explore and share their ideas. 

“Sofia’s passion for art along with her expansive repertoire of ideas, will be a superb asset to the Elementary School Visiting artist program,” the Art League said in the release.

Miller is a local artist and founder of the non-profit organization, Buying Art That Matters, which is an online gallery that sells quality artwork to donate to other nonprofits, nursing homes, and schools. 

She has experience working with children teaching after school painting workshops with ForKids and Alphabest. 

Miller is handling this spring’s middle school visiting artist program, April 24-May 1. She is set to visit each of the six middle schools to teach her workshop “Artistic Extremes!” that explore unconventional ways to create original paintings with students. “Artistic Extremes!” shows students a new, free-spirited approach to painting by using spackling and a variety of textures to create works of art that appeal to the senses. 

The release said this workshop is derived from her own painting style with multiple layers of textures, colors, and experimental materials. 

“The heavier the painting, the happier I am!” Miller said in regards to her paintings. 

Art League officials said her exuberant energy, and fun approach to painting will be a great addition to our program. 

Funding for these programs is provided by Suffolk Fine Arts Commission and Suffolk Foundation, allowing the Suffolk Art League to achieve its mission of unlocking the gateway to the arts.