An extraordinary Bridgeport grandmother is turning a local park into an open-air art studio.

Veronica Martins spends every weekend volunteering her time at Beardsley Park, teaching children the fine art of painting.

“Paint is really good to relax the mind; relax, relax, especially when you mix the colors, you create something,” Martins said. “Yes, it’s really good.”

“It’s a process, and you have to trust the process a lot when you’re painting because at first it might not look really good,” said student Emily Quicano. “But over time, when you’re painting, it looks better.”

Martins said learning art is a classical discipline, one that sharpens young minds and strengthens brain power.