Pictured with Lahaina Arts Guild Arts Education Director Kirk Boes, King Kamehameha III Elementary School fourth-grader Lily Greet won a recent contest and took home $50 and a nice watercolor set.

LAHAINA — The Lahaina Arts Guild is a nonprofit sister organization of Lahaina Arts Society. The guild has been providing free art classes at King Kamehameha III Elementary School this school year.

Arts Education Director Kirk Boes and a team of amazing volunteers have given over 850 art lessons this year so far and expect their “1,000th customer” shortly after the New Year begins.

“The kids love the program,” Boes said. “In fact, we all do. Principal Jennifer Everett and Coordinator Dianne Lagbas have been instrumental in making this happen. We are super grateful to them. The teachers and students really enjoy it, and it feels great to help the school community by providing the art education program.”

Boes added, “Research shows that children who do art also perform better in academics. It enhances their social and emotional life. It builds self-esteem. It’s very therapeutic. Most of all, it’s fun! We tell kids to paint from their hearts and not to worry about the product, but just enjoy the process. We tell them the best artist is the one having the most fun.”

Boes, who is an established artist himself, former gallery director and art sales consultant, said, “I’ve met a lot of adults who think they can’t do art. As a former educator, I’ve seen how people give up doing art because they become either too self-critical or listen to the criticism of others. By the time they become adults, they have lost the joy of simply making art. We try to emphasize that art is a verb, not a noun. The only thing that makes an artist an artist is that they make art.

Andy Warhol said, “Don’t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.”

Marc Chagall said, “If I create from the heart, nearly everything works; if from the head, almost nothing.”

These are two of the principles that guide the art program.

In addition to providing the art program at King Kamehameha III, LAG also provides art scholarships and prizes for art contests in the community. It also provides free plein-air painting classes for small groups of kids at no cost. Those usually last three hours and are normally held on the weekend or during school breaks at historic locations in Lahaina.

To sign up for a plein-air painting event, reach out to Boes at kirkboes@gmail.com or (808) 298-8787.

Lahaina Arts Guild is funded by the generous support of the historic Lahaina Arts Society, whose art fairs at Lahaina Cannery Mall are normally held on Fridays and Saturdays between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. The State Foundation on Culture and the Arts and Maui United Way have also provided grants, as well as individual donors.

To make a donation, or to volunteer, contact Boes or visit www.lahainaartsguild.org.