In 1955, Victor D’Amico expanded his celebrated classes at The Museum of Modern Art by renting Ashawagh Hall to conduct his Summer Vacation Painting Experiment. Central to D’Amico's philosophy was the conviction that motivation was the vital spark of art education — students needed not just instruction, but inspiration drawn from direct experience. He found that inspiration in Springs. He and his students visited the homes and studios of local artists and took to the surrounding landscapes and farms for Painting on Location classes, using the working studios and the land itself as their motivations. At the end of the summer, an exhibition was held, marking the culmination of a season shaped by this philosophy.