It’s going to be another great Slow Art Day this April 15, 2023. More museums continue to register including our first in South Korea.

And I’m proud to share that the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate and one of the largest academic art museums in South Florida, is celebrating its 10th Slow Art Day this year, which, in addition to being great for the slow looking movement, holds a special resonance for the museum and its staff.

The Frost’s first Slow Art Day was planned by then-docent and longtime museum supporter, Helena Venero. She was dedicated to art education and provided great support to Miriam Machado, who was (and remains) the Director of Education. In fact, Venero helped Machado launch their first docent program.

In 2013, Venero led the planning of their inaugural Slow Art Day. Venero did a great job and everything was set, and then in the early morning of April 27, 2013 (i.e., the morning of that year’s Slow Art Day) Machado received a terrible phone call. Venero had just suffered a massive heart attack and passed away.

As you can imagine, the whole museum was in shock and deeply saddened.

In commemoration of Helena Venero’s commitment to the museum, her family created an endowment to fund Slow Art Day (and other educational programs) in perpetuity. The Venero Endowment has allowed the museum to host interesting Slow Art Day events for ten straight years (and for many more years to come), as well as to amplify their ability to reach underserved students with a variety of programs.

Machado remains connected to the Venero family, and keeps them updated on the projects and programs their endowment supports. “I will be eternally grateful to Helena, to her family, and to their passion for education and the arts,” Machado said.

Let’s all thank Helena Venero – and the Venero family – and the many other volunteers around the world who have helped turn Slow Art Day into a global phenomenon.

Hope you have a GOOD and Slow Art Day 2023.

Best,

Phyl

P.S. If you need any of the host tools – logo for use in your print or digital efforts, and all of the past reports with their many tools, tips, and inspiring approaches – then go to the host tools section of our Slow Art Day website.