Mari Linnman, Founder of The Art Farm Hamptons, The Art Farm in the City, The Riders and The Green School.
Growing up in Sweden, Mari spent every summer on her family’s farm helping with the farm animals. This was an experience essential in who she became and is part of her soul today.
At 19 she came to the USA to spend a year here as an au-pair. As you may guess, she never left.
At 29, after several years studying to become a physical therapist Mari felt a calling and decided to open up a summer camp in Bridgehampton.
The Art Farm was founded that year, in 1995, with a box of crayons, a horse, sheep, ducks, a barn ... and three little campers. It’s philosophy, back 23 years ago was an organic, whole child approach with a program of animal/human connection, farm to table food and organic gardens with a nature discovery based curriculum. The camp grew to 400 campers and 100 employees per day.
At 32 she had her first born son, Jonas. The midwife had never seen anything like it, when she informed Mari that she had to schedule her for delivery, Mari answered “I can be there Saturday, not tomorrow, I’ve got to pay my employees and come up with an art project for Monday’s camp.” She called one of her counselors, asked her to cover Monday, as she was going to Stonybrook Hospital to deliver her baby over the weekend but planned to be back by Tuesday. Jonas is a remarkable boy, he took his first steps on his first birthday, where else, in the chicken coop.
In 2001, with Jonas as her 2-year old helper along with her business partner, Valentina Van Hise, the Art Farm in NYC opened its doors, a nature-focused children’s educational center offering farm animals and reptiles in the middle of New York City.
During 2001 until 2005, as a single mom, Mari moved 6 times in 6 years, in order to afford living on the East End of Long Island. She kept her focus on her dreams and in 2005 Mari designed and built her Swedish Country House (Carl Larsson inspired). In the following years she added paddocks, a barn, and a garage and watched her dream turn into reality.
Growing up in Sweden, Mari spent every summer on her family’s farm helping with the farm animals. This was an experience essential in who she became and is part of her soul today.
At 19 she came to the USA to spend a year here as an au-pair. As you may guess, she never left.
At 29, after several years studying to become a physical therapist Mari felt a calling and decided to open up a summer camp in Bridgehampton.
The Art Farm was founded that year, in 1995, with a box of crayons, a horse, sheep, ducks, a barn ... and three little campers. It’s philosophy, back 23 years ago was an organic, whole child approach with a program of animal/human connection, farm to table food and organic gardens with a nature discovery based curriculum. The camp grew to 400 campers and 100 employees per day.
At 32 she had her first born son, Jonas. The midwife had never seen anything like it, when she informed Mari that she had to schedule her for delivery, Mari answered “I can be there Saturday, not tomorrow, I’ve got to pay my employees and come up with an art project for Monday’s camp.” She called one of her counselors, asked her to cover Monday, as she was going to Stonybrook Hospital to deliver her baby over the weekend but planned to be back by Tuesday. Jonas is a remarkable boy, he took his first steps on his first birthday, where else, in the chicken coop.
In 2001, with Jonas as her 2-year old helper along with her business partner, Valentina Van Hise, the Art Farm in NYC opened its doors, a nature-focused children’s educational center offering farm animals and reptiles in the middle of New York City.
During 2001 until 2005, as a single mom, Mari moved 6 times in 6 years, in order to afford living on the East End of Long Island. She kept her focus on her dreams and in 2005 Mari designed and built her Swedish Country House (Carl Larsson inspired). In the following years she added paddocks, a barn, and a garage and watched her dream turn into reality.
|
At 38, back in 2006, she started her non for profit, today helping children both internationally and locally.
Jonas, her oldest son was only 6 yrs old when he participated at a charity event in Costa Rica bringing down 200 soccer balls and handing them out to the local children. |
|
Part of who she is shows through all her businesses as a vital part of its philosophy is giving back.
At 41 in 2008 Mari gave birth to her second son Mattias. In 2009, The Green School was born, a picturesque cozy classroom in her barn constructed from 4 horse stalls. Her son along with 11 other lucky children started pre-nursery and went through Pre-K at the Green School. This year The Green School is celebrating 10 years. Mari has raised both her boys as a single mother. Jonas today, is 19 and studying at Pitzer/Pomona college in California. Pitzer/Pomona is known for its premiere environmental science program. Her younger son attends 4th grade in Sag Harbor Elementary School. For the last 5 years they have spent their winters in Costa Rica where they all surf together and enjoy the simplicity of a small surf town in the jungle. Mari believes in holistic medicine, organic food choices when possible, nature, and lots of time spent outdoors.
“Her older son Jonas at his senior high school midterm at The Ross School, shared that his biggest inspiration is his mother!”
At 41 in 2008 Mari gave birth to her second son Mattias. In 2009, The Green School was born, a picturesque cozy classroom in her barn constructed from 4 horse stalls. Her son along with 11 other lucky children started pre-nursery and went through Pre-K at the Green School. This year The Green School is celebrating 10 years. Mari has raised both her boys as a single mother. Jonas today, is 19 and studying at Pitzer/Pomona college in California. Pitzer/Pomona is known for its premiere environmental science program. Her younger son attends 4th grade in Sag Harbor Elementary School. For the last 5 years they have spent their winters in Costa Rica where they all surf together and enjoy the simplicity of a small surf town in the jungle. Mari believes in holistic medicine, organic food choices when possible, nature, and lots of time spent outdoors.
“Her older son Jonas at his senior high school midterm at The Ross School, shared that his biggest inspiration is his mother!”
