Elaine Smith Memorial Art Scholarship Inc
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Introduction: It is the wish of the family and friends of Elaine Smith to continue her legacy and love for all things relating to art, by providing scholarships to individuals interested in furthering their artistic education.
Purpose: The Elaine Smith Memorial Art Scholarship Inc. will provide at least (1) $500 scholarship to a Monmouth County student who has chosen to pursue a career in the arts. The application deadline is January 31, 2025. How to apply: For Scholarship applications and questions, please contact Merrill Tilker at Around the Corner Art Center at 732-308-4666. Criteria: All applicants must submit the appropriate form along with an essay on why they believe they are deserving of the scholarship. All materials are reviewed by the board of directors for determination of eligibility. The decision of the board is final. Scholarships will be paid directly to the educational institution where the applicant is currently enrolled. Deadline January 31, 2025 We are a 501(c)(3) ...donations may be sent to AROUND THE CORNER ART CENTER c/o Merrill Tilker 290 Mounts Corner Dr. Freehold, NJ 07728 Click below to download the application.
August 17, 2024
Congratulations to the Elaine Smith Memorial Art Scholarship 2024 recipients! Pictured: Merrill Tilker- Around The Corner Art Center, ESMAS Trustee Julia Alexandre- $500 Scholarship Mia DeMedici- $500 Scholarship Maire Tashjian- ESMAS President Amy Schindler- ESMAS Secretary/Treasurer 
On December 22, 2018, Brookdale’s aspiring Art student, Isaiah Drake was the 2018 recipient of a $500 scholarship award from the Elaine Smith Memorial Art Scholarship foundation. photo: Mary A. Tashjian, President and Merrill Tilker, owner Around the Corner Art Center, Board of Trustees
August 15, 2019-Kellie Alexander, Brookdale Community College and Taylor Anastasia, Kean University were each awarded a $500 Elaine Smith Memorial Art Scholarship. The presentation took place at Around the Corner Art Center, Freehold, New Jersey with board members Merrill Tilker, Maire Tashjian and Amy Schindler attending.
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We are now accepting applications and donations for the 2025 Elaine Smith Memorial Art Scholarship. Donations/checks can be made out to: Elaine Smith Memorial Art Scholarship and mailed to Around The Corner Art Center.
Congratulations to the 2023
Elaine Smith Memorial Art Scholarship recipients! Each Artist was awarded a $500. scholarship to the college of their choice. “Together we are changing the world one artist at a time!” Maire Tashjian Ashley Skarbek-photo 1 Summer Fesette-photo 2 pictured L-R Merrill Tilker-Around The Corner Art Center Amy Schindler-Secretary/Treasurer ESMAS Maire Tashjian-President ESMAS | ||
‘Miss Elaine’ served as inspiration to many students of art
By Clare Marie Celano
Elaine Smith spent much of her life making art and helping others to do the same. Smith, 79, died on Feb. 26, leaving behind a legacy that her family is hoping will live on through her work. Smith’s daughter, Maire Tashjian, described her mother’s passion for art and her dedication to teaching others how to bring art into their lives. “My mom was art,” Tashjian siad. “It was inside her; the way she painted, the way she dressed, the way she looked at the world and the people in it.” Tashjian said Smith, who was a native of Freehold Borough, was a self-taught artist. She had formal art training later in life when she attended the Omega Institute. Tashjian said the formal training was a turning point in Smith’s art because it allowed her to access even more of her talent. Smith’s family is creating the Elaine Smith Memorial Art Scholarship Inc. to help young people pursue a career in art and to honor her desire to teach the art she so loved. Smith worked as a secretary for the Freehold Borough K-8 School District until she retired in 1999. She taught art at the Around the Corner Art Center, Freehold Township, for 22 years where she was known as Miss Elaine. “She inspired and guided hundreds of students through the creative world she believed was everyone’s heritage,” Tashjian said. “Her students and her art were her life.” Smith retired from teaching four years ago, but continued to enter art competitions. Her last entry was in the 2014 Monmouth County Senior Citizen Art Contest and Exhibition where she placed third in the watercolors category. Smith worked in watercolors, pastels, pen and ink, colored pencils and charcoal, creating portraits, landscapes, flowers and people. She was often commissioned to do various pieces. “My mom was born with the trait of looking at something and was able to recreate it, seeing it with an artist’s eye,” Tashjian said. Smith began teaching art when she was 14, according to Tashjian. She taught her cousin, Paddie, 4, in the attic of their grandmother’s house. Merrill Tilker, the owner of the Around the Corner Art Center, said Smith was driven to learn and to master her craft, and to teach what she learned. “She wanted to teach every person she met how to draw and she did,” Tilker said. “Her students wanted to expand their work to learn watercolors, pastels and other mediums and she was able to master those mediums herself to teach her students. She had a unique ability to connect with students no matter what age they were. She will be deeply missed.” Steven Lindenbaum of Marlboro was one of Smith’s students. He now teaches art to individuals with disabilities at the Deron School II, Montclair. He studied with Smith from the age of 13 to 18 and considers her to be a “major” influence in his life. “Miss Elaine was a wonderful art teacher, mentor and person, and her presence is missed by all. She taught me not only art, but the importance of passion and creativity in other aspects of life,” he said. “Miss Elaine pushed me to explore new mediums and broaden my horizons. She showed us her love of art and her passion for its place in the world, which was very inspiring.” “My mother always inspired us to follow our dreams,” Tashjian said of herself and her siblings. “She encouraged us, me with my music, Chris with his acting career, Thomas with his comedy and modeling, and Ronnie with his art, singing and music.” Ronnie Tashjian died in 1991 at the age of 33. In retirement, Smith produced an amazing body of work, according to her daughter. “She finally had the time to devote to her art,” Tashjian said, her love and admiration for her mother clearly visible. Smith graduated from Freehold High School, attended Brookdale Community College and the Omega Institute, New York. She was a juried member of the Pastel Society of America and her art exhibits included Avery Fischer Hall, Lincoln Center Collaborative Art Show. “Becoming a juried member of the Pastel Society of America was one of her proudest moments,” Tashjian said. Smith was a member of the Freehold Art Society, the Guild of Creative Art and the Art Society of Monmouth County. Tashjian is working with Jeff Friedman, the owner of the Freehold Art Gallery, Freehold Borough, to create a memorial art show for Smith. “My mom was a beautiful giving spirit whose guiding light will shine forever in our hearts,” she said. “And I believe her essence is still here. I believe it is in everyone whose life she touched.”
Elaine Smith spent much of her life making art and helping others to do the same. Smith, 79, died on Feb. 26, leaving behind a legacy that her family is hoping will live on through her work. Smith’s daughter, Maire Tashjian, described her mother’s passion for art and her dedication to teaching others how to bring art into their lives. “My mom was art,” Tashjian siad. “It was inside her; the way she painted, the way she dressed, the way she looked at the world and the people in it.” Tashjian said Smith, who was a native of Freehold Borough, was a self-taught artist. She had formal art training later in life when she attended the Omega Institute. Tashjian said the formal training was a turning point in Smith’s art because it allowed her to access even more of her talent. Smith’s family is creating the Elaine Smith Memorial Art Scholarship Inc. to help young people pursue a career in art and to honor her desire to teach the art she so loved. Smith worked as a secretary for the Freehold Borough K-8 School District until she retired in 1999. She taught art at the Around the Corner Art Center, Freehold Township, for 22 years where she was known as Miss Elaine. “She inspired and guided hundreds of students through the creative world she believed was everyone’s heritage,” Tashjian said. “Her students and her art were her life.” Smith retired from teaching four years ago, but continued to enter art competitions. Her last entry was in the 2014 Monmouth County Senior Citizen Art Contest and Exhibition where she placed third in the watercolors category. Smith worked in watercolors, pastels, pen and ink, colored pencils and charcoal, creating portraits, landscapes, flowers and people. She was often commissioned to do various pieces. “My mom was born with the trait of looking at something and was able to recreate it, seeing it with an artist’s eye,” Tashjian said. Smith began teaching art when she was 14, according to Tashjian. She taught her cousin, Paddie, 4, in the attic of their grandmother’s house. Merrill Tilker, the owner of the Around the Corner Art Center, said Smith was driven to learn and to master her craft, and to teach what she learned. “She wanted to teach every person she met how to draw and she did,” Tilker said. “Her students wanted to expand their work to learn watercolors, pastels and other mediums and she was able to master those mediums herself to teach her students. She had a unique ability to connect with students no matter what age they were. She will be deeply missed.” Steven Lindenbaum of Marlboro was one of Smith’s students. He now teaches art to individuals with disabilities at the Deron School II, Montclair. He studied with Smith from the age of 13 to 18 and considers her to be a “major” influence in his life. “Miss Elaine was a wonderful art teacher, mentor and person, and her presence is missed by all. She taught me not only art, but the importance of passion and creativity in other aspects of life,” he said. “Miss Elaine pushed me to explore new mediums and broaden my horizons. She showed us her love of art and her passion for its place in the world, which was very inspiring.” “My mother always inspired us to follow our dreams,” Tashjian said of herself and her siblings. “She encouraged us, me with my music, Chris with his acting career, Thomas with his comedy and modeling, and Ronnie with his art, singing and music.” Ronnie Tashjian died in 1991 at the age of 33. In retirement, Smith produced an amazing body of work, according to her daughter. “She finally had the time to devote to her art,” Tashjian said, her love and admiration for her mother clearly visible. Smith graduated from Freehold High School, attended Brookdale Community College and the Omega Institute, New York. She was a juried member of the Pastel Society of America and her art exhibits included Avery Fischer Hall, Lincoln Center Collaborative Art Show. “Becoming a juried member of the Pastel Society of America was one of her proudest moments,” Tashjian said. Smith was a member of the Freehold Art Society, the Guild of Creative Art and the Art Society of Monmouth County. Tashjian is working with Jeff Friedman, the owner of the Freehold Art Gallery, Freehold Borough, to create a memorial art show for Smith. “My mom was a beautiful giving spirit whose guiding light will shine forever in our hearts,” she said. “And I believe her essence is still here. I believe it is in everyone whose life she touched.”