Meet Artist in Residence Maria D. Rapicavoli

Across the boroughs, CMA's three Artists in Residence are currently implementing ambitious arts curriculum at each of our partner sites throughout New York City: Hudson Guild in Chelsea, Sid Miller Academy in Crown Heights, and Children’s Workshop School in the East Village. Come spring, our residents will showcase their students' work through exhibitions and installations across the city.

Below, meet Italian artist and educator Maria D. Rapicavoli, who works with elementary age students at Hudson Guild, one of the city's oldest community organizations serving individuals and families with urgent housing needs.

Tell us about your art practice and how working with children inspires you.

My artistic practice is deeply based on and engaged with the process of researching. I find teaching to be an essential part of my learning experience

Do you have any memorable experiences of children interacting with your artwork?

I loved seeing kids interact with my work A Starry Messenger, a functional telescope made of alabaster, at Socrates Sculpture Park.

Do you have a favorite memory of making art as a child?

I spent the last two months of my elementary school years working on a large mural for the school main entrance, and the mural still exists.

Why is it important to make art accessible to all children and families?

I believe that through art it is possible to create a supportive and inclusive environment where the children can grow and thrive.

About Maria D. Rapicavoli

Maria D. Rapicavoli is an artist and educator born in Catania, Italy. She was a fellow in the Whitney Independent Study Program in 2012 and received her MFA from Goldsmiths University of London (2005) and BA from the Academy of Fine Arts in Catania (2001). She draws inspiration from her native Sicily, a place that holds deep significance as a point of both departure and arrival. Her work explores the sea and the sky as sites of transit where individual narratives intertwine with international politics. 

Support Maria's work at Hudson Guild by donating to CMA's Emergency Arts Education Fund, which provides free arts education to NYC schools that need it most.