See More Children's Museum of the Arts 11/30/23 Artists in Schools Maria's Reflections: November CMA Resident Artist Maria D. Rapicavoli on her November projects at Hudson Guild. NEXT IN

See More Children's Museum of the Arts 1/22/24 Artists in Schools Vegetable Prints! Dispatches from CMA Resident Artist Maria D. Rapicavoli's after school class at Hudson Guild. NEXT IN

8/21/23 Residency Announcing the 2023-24 Recipients of The Residency for Experimental Arts Education Click to expand media gallery. Please join us in giving a warm welcome to our 2023-24 cohort of Resident Artists: Niousha Kiarashi , Noormah Jamal , and Maria D. Rapicavoli . Beginning in September, residents will implement an ambitious arts curriculum at each of our partner sites throughout New York City. Together, they'll dedicate an unprecedented amount of time to arts education as they design curricula, work directly with local students, publish research, and create an original art installation at their respective sites. Niousha Kiarashi Sid Miller Academy Crown Heights, Brooklyn About Niousha Niousha Kiarashi is a multidisciplinary artist born and raised in Tehran, Iran. She holds an MFA in Integrated Practices from Pratt Institute and a BFA from Tehran University of Art and Architecture. Her media- and research-based practices combine science, environmental studies, psychology, and technology. She is passionate about creating alternative and sustainable ways of understanding our surroundings and working with diverse communities to put these experiences into practice. About Sid Miller Academy Sid Miller Academy is a District 75 school providing highly specialized instructional support for students with significant challenges, such as Autism Spectrum Disorders, significant cognitive delays, and sensory impairments. Their mission is to ensure that all students are safe, while providing transitional opportunities, promoting accelerated learning, and reaching the community to promote proficient readers, independent thinkers, and future leaders. “I have learned a lot from my past experience working with children and look forward to expanding and sharing my own working practice through their magical world of wonder with this opportunity at Children's Museum of the Arts.” Noormah Jamal Children's Workshop School East Village, Manhattan About Noormah Jamal Noormah Jamal is a Brooklyn-based multidisciplinary artist originally from Pakistan. She earned her MFA in Painting and Drawing from Pratt Institute (2023) and holds a BFA in Mughal Miniature painting from The National College of Arts in Lahore, Pakistan. Her work centers around identity and the personal baggage that people carry. Heavy in symbolism, she approaches much of her practice through a child's lens. About Children’s Workshop School Founded in 1993, Children’s Workshop School is a progressive public elementary school rooted in the ideals of Martin Luther King, Jr. — freedom, equality, mutuality, respect, racial justice, grassroots organizing, and advocacy. The goal of Children’s Workshop School is for each child to recognize that they have the power and resources to effect change and grow to be responsible, critical, and caring members of a pluralistic society. “I am eager to foster mutual growth with my students, creating a space where we can all tap into our creativity, express ourselves, and learn from each other.” Maria D. Rapicavoli Hudson Guild Chelsea, Manhattan 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. About Hudson Guild Founded in 1895, Hudson Guild’s mission is to create and sustain a strong, effective community that acknowledges and responds to the potential, achievements, and interdependence of its diverse members. Rooted in and primarily focused on Chelsea and the west side of Manhattan, Hudson Guild seeks to empower all individuals and families to achieve their highest potential, while maintaining a priority focus on those in economic need. “The Residency for Experimental Arts Education represents a unique and exciting chance for me to merge my two passions — art and education — without compromising either. I strongly believe that artistic practices and creative community spaces can generate significant social changes by supporting and nurturing the next generations of artists and future generation leaders.” NEXT Emergency Exhibition: New Training for Future Artists and Art Lovers Take a Virtual Tour on Bloomberg Connects Donate Now

12/14/22 Reading Lists Devin Kenny Shares a Peek at His Bookshelf The authors and ideas behind the multi-hyphenate creative's practice. Click to expand media gallery. CMA Artists in Residence were treated to a a studio visit with artist Devin Kenny , who graciously shared with us his reading list and abbreviated syllabus. In Devin's words, “These selections are ones meant to widen and challenge some of the most common understandings of contemporary culture and the activity of art. They are meant to offer questions about what it might mean to pursue the activity of creating cultural products in the present, and also different ways of thinking about what we may want to create together and individually — what we may want to share as artists, as teachers, and as people in society.” Society of the Spectacle (1967) Guy Debord How to Make a Happening (1966) Allan Kaprow Teaching to Transgress (1994) bell hooks Chromophobia (2000) David Batchelor Glitch Feminism (2020) Legacy Russell The Mundane Afrofuturist Manifesto (2013) Martine Syms Dada Manifesto (1918) Tristan Tzara Devin Kenny is an artist, writer, and musician, and dPhil Candidate in Fine Art at the University of Oxford. Born on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois, Kenny relocated to New York City as a teenager. Kenny went on to receive a Master of Fine Arts from University of California, Los Angeles, in addition to attending the Whitney Independent Study Program in New York. Kenny has participated in residencies at the Rauschenberg Foundation, SOMA Mexico, Bemis Center, MFAH Core, Shandaken Projects, and the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. Kenny has exhibited, performed, and lectured across the United States and in galleries and institutions abroad. Select venues include MoMA PS1, The Kitchen, Performance Space, REDCAT, Queens Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara, and the IMT Gallery in London, among others. Kenny (as Devin KKenny) has a first official release NY Lottery/CBD Kratom , out now from PTP, a New York-based audio collective focused on sound art, noise, HipHop and more. NEXT Emergency Exhibition: New Training for Future Artists and Art Lovers Take a Virtual Tour on Bloomberg Connects Donate Now

6/5/24 Reflections Little Things to Know About Little Beings by Niousha Kiarashi Creating a More Inclusive and Creative Classroom Click to expand media gallery. by Niousha Kiarashi Artist in Residence 2023-24 Children’s Museum of the Arts in collaboration with Pre-K—2nd Graders P396K Sid Miller Academy Crown Heights, Brooklyn Download here This is a small pamphlet, made with love and care, by Niousha Kiarashi, CMA Artist Educator in Residence at P396K Sid Miller Academy , after experiencing a full year teaching art at an elementary school dedicated to children with special needs in Brooklyn, New York. Throughout the school year, my students and I created a web of connections together and developed an experimental teaching and learning method for making art in the easiest and most pleasant way possible. With the precious help of teachers and paraprofessionals, along with the terrific administrators at P396K Sid Miller Academy and the staff at Children’s Museum of the Arts, we created a loving and creative environment for children to become the best version of themselves. After spending hours in the classroom, I gathered my observations in hopes that – together! – we can improve the educational environment and make the students’ experience as impactful as possible. We were all children once, and we have enough intuition of what worked best for us when we were in school, and in which environment we got those educations best. We all knew what things did not work when we were children – what was boring, hurt our feelings, made us tired or angry – during the moments when we needed to be understood and cared for the most. This pamphlet serves as a reminder to everyone working in the children’s education field that we should reflect on our past memories, and the resources that helped us most, to reimagine what we want our children to learn and become. Before entering and while in the classroom, there are things for us as teachers and paraprofessionals to strictly consider as rules and be aware of until they become default. + Remind yourself that we are gathered here to teach children and, most importantly, to learn from each other. Avoid a top-down approach and refrain from using your “adultness” to overcome difficult situations. + It’s best not to talk in front of the students about one’s behavior or about a subject that’s irrelevant to the class. + Remind yourself that this is an art class and students are here to explore, express their emotions, and experiment as freely as possible. We must guide them with our knowledge to add to their experiences – not limit their curiosities. + We pay full attention to our children and dedicate our time to them and their needs. Refrain from letting personal feelings and moods interfere with the children and the classroom environment. + Everyone should follow the classroom rules — stay in our chairs while completing assignments, no running, no playtime until finishing the assignments, no touching other’s works without asking the teachers first, clean up after finishing an assignment, share with friends sitting beside them. + Keep in mind that students in these classes have strong sensory sensitivities, and in order to have a fruitful class, we should not trigger any of those sensitivities. + No shouting is a must for everyone , including paraprofessionals, teachers, and students. Build a stressless classroom environment by encouraging everyone to conduct calm conversations instead of demanding rules or shouting. + Recognize the rules for nonverbal students. Check to see what their special needs and sensitivities are and plan their classroom experience accordingly. + Visualize rules for nonverbal students. + Organized learning is essential for children with special needs. Not only does it improve their classroom experience, but it builds essential skills for their future. + We don’t want students to get in the habit of responding to demands – no one likes them! We want our students to grow into their strong personalities and contribute to a brighter future without dictatorship in their mindset. + Getting to the students’ height when teaching or asking them to follow any rules is essential. It makes them feel safe and shows that we are not using our “adultness” to force them to do anything. + Remind yourself of the language you use when teaching, asking questions, or conducting conversations. Many special needs students have echolalia [repetition of speech], and it is important to demonstrate how you want to be heard by others in the classroom environment. + Do not make negative comments about the students to teachers or paraprofessionals in front of them. + Don’t answer students with laughs when they express something from their point of view. Instead, simply listen and interact with them — you can even ask them follow-up questions or make useful observations about their comments. Try to turn the conversation into a learning experience. Don’t immediately assess whether their observation is right or wrong. Converse with them until they get to the correct answer or solution by themselves. + Children can sense excitement and loooove to listen to exciting conversations. It makes learning easier, better, and more fun. So, be excited when you talk with them! + Simplifying instructions and breaking down tasks into smaller portions makes assignments easier to understand. + Always think ahead. Have multiple alternatives for each assignment and be ready for unpredictable events that might happen in the classroom. + Encourage students to ask for future instructions or share new ideas while completing assignments. + Art class is all about activating creativity and is most successful when everyone has their own style and method — that includes students, teachers, and paraprofessionals. It’s important for everyone to participate in even the smallest tasks so we can all learn and create together. It also helps us recognize our individual skills and levels of creativity. + Fear should never be used as a tool to make students obey classroom rules. + Physical force is never allowed in the classroom. + In order for students to understand the rules of physical contact (keep your hands to yourself, respect other’s personal space, etc), they must see adults demonstrating it first. They will learn by simply observing what adults are doing. General Recommendations: Our relationship with students is very important. We may provoke a student's anger unknowingly. It’s important to take responsibility for our shortcomings and change our opinion depending on the situation. + It’s not just what you say, but how you say it. Some students will be triggered not from the limitations themselves, but the way we implement those limits. The energy that we put into this relationship is very important. If we want calmer children, then we must be calmer educators. + Questioning a student’s ability to do something may trigger them to refuse to do it altogether. Avoid this behavior by politely asking a student to complete a task. + Guide students through situations with their classmates together instead of making it look like a competition. Children’s brains are still developing at this stage, so they haven’t learned how to control strong emotions yet. + We must model to students that aggression is not the answer. They haven’t learned alternative ways to control their emotions yet, so they are looking to us to model these behaviors. + Never answer their aggression with more aggression. It worsens the situation and creates an unpleasant scene for everyone. Instead, teach students problem-solving skills with a calmer attitude. You can tell students that it’s okay to be mad, but they cannot hit themselves or others because our bodies are not meant to be hurt. Show students that you understand their extreme emotions, while also setting boundaries to prevent them from getting physical. Ask students to try another way to solve their problem and encourage them to think of their own ideas on how to do it. + When a child is angry, suggest that they: puff their cheeks and take a deep breath start dancing — it releases sudden extreme emotions! play with sensory toys + Kids don’t need to be tamed. They just need to feel understood and accepted; guided and loved. + What we consider to be a child’s bad attitude or behavior is likely due to their own discovery of their internal feelings — they may feel disappointed in their inability to make connections between what they feel and think. The best we can do is set kind yet strict boundaries and constantly follow up with them. + We are all human — teachers, paraprofessionals, and students! “Taming” children with punishments for simply being human is far from the best way to overcome challenging behaviors. + Focus on satisfying students’ individual needs and not forcing them to do the “right” or “complete” thing. + Respect each student’s age and state of mind. + Encourage students to follow their own interests while completing different tasks. + Children tend to copy what they see, and not necessarily what they are told to do. Be mindful of your attitude in front of them. They may not remember when you tell them, but they will vividly remember how you said it. In order to teach respect, you must model respect. Children are visual learners and they are hyper-aware of what is happening in their surroundings. + Constantly remind children that they are capable of doing whatever they want! + Celebrate each of their victories, no matter how big or small. + If they show perseverance, support it, as encouragement means a lot to them. + Connection is key to a good relationship. + If the child is constantly anxious, try to reduce the tension of the situation by speaking in a calm voice and showing empathy. + When you see that a student is interested in a specific hobby, ask them about it and have them teach you how to participate. + Try to analyze the situation together instead of simply resorting to phrases such as “stop,” “be quiet,” or “don’t cry.” Make sure that students are aware of your efforts to help them reach their goals. Accidents happen; that is normal. Encourage students to talk about things that give them anxiety. This helps them analyze the stressful situation and gives them credit for trying to feel understood. It doesn’t mean that we are necessarily agreeing with their feelings, but we are simply observing their stress and trying to connect to their feelings, while also keeping our boundaries. + Special needs students often use their own body to soothe themselves. When you notice students displaying self-soothing behaviors (such as nail biting or hair pulling), ask them how they are feeling: “I noticed that your hands are in your mouth. Did you notice that your hands are in your mouth?” Gently call attention to these behaviors, but don’t harp on them. Knowing that you are not judging them is huge for children. These behaviors are complex and do not benefit from a top-down approach. Simple Techniques to Boost Creativity: 1. Use games to teach students about new concepts and expand their ability to innovate and create. 2. Encourage them to explore their surroundings at all times. 3. Promote group participation and working in pairs help children share their ideas and cooperate with others in order to accomplish tasks. It also helps students gain important social skills. 4. Plant seeds of confidence every day. Encourage students to examine new ideas and express their thoughts in a creative way. 5. Utilize storytelling to allow their minds to see the world in a new light and help them depict a world of their own. 6. Give students the courage and confidence to bloom into their best version of themselves. It's always the smallest details that make the biggest changes. It’s a wonderful feeling when you see the results of your efforts. Let’s make it wonderful for everybody. With Love, Niousha Kiarashi 2024 NEXT Emergency Exhibition: New Training for Future Artists and Art Lovers Take a Virtual Tour on Bloomberg Connects Donate Now

6/17/24 Artists in Schools Summertime Sun-Reflective Mobiles Dispatches from CMA Resident Artist Noormah Jamal's fifth grade class at Children's Workshop School. Click to expand media gallery. 2D design was all the rage this week! Students took advantage of the summer sunshine to create reflective mobiles that are activated by a window or light source. Each student was given a piece of cardstock with a reflective side. First, they drew and cut out their image. Next, they layered colored paper to create their images. Shapes included seasonal staples like strawberries, watermelons, pickles, ice cream cones, campfires, fish, Pride rainbows, and even a capybara sipping a drink! On the reflective side, they used a wooden tool to create a pressure drawing. Students loved this part and crafted very detailed scenes. Once completed, they hung up their mobiles near the window and observed how the light illuminated their pressure drawing. One student even exclaimed "Now that's some sneaky art!" Noormah’s work at Children’s Workshop School is supported by the Emergency Arts Education Fund , which provides free arts education to NYC school communities whose art programs have been decimated by recent budget cuts. Children’s Museum of the Arts’ three Residents Artists 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. Learn how you can support the work of our residents here . NEXT Emergency Exhibition: New Training for Future Artists and Art Lovers Take a Virtual Tour on Bloomberg Connects Donate Now

See More Children's Museum of the Arts 5/9/24 Artists in Schools Viewing Selections from the Whitney's Collection CMA Resident Artist Maria D. Rapicavoli visited the Whitney Museum with her fourth and fifth graders from Hudson Guild. NEXT IN

3/26/24 Kids Art 7 Architectural Structures from CMA’s Collection of Children’s Art Click to expand media gallery. Allison Georgina Deakin The House of My Imagination Age 11 International School of Brussels Brussels, Belgium Bernard Garcia Age 11 Santo Domingo Pueblo Elementary Kewa Pueblo, New Mexico Olivia Lillian Martinez Age 12 USA Heidi Kuukka The Street Where I Live Age 11 Lappeenrannan Taideyhdistyksen Lappeenranta, Finland Arman-Re Jack Age 7 Harlem School of the Arts New York, NY Mile Babic The Multicolored World Age 11 Jovan Jovanović Zmaj Grammar School Novi Sad, Yugoslavia (now Serbia) Thubten Tsering The House of Sin Age 9 Tibetan Children's Village Dharamsala Cantt, India NEXT Emergency Exhibition: New Training for Future Artists and Art Lovers Take a Virtual Tour on Bloomberg Connects Donate Now

4/29/23 Kids Art 5 Aquatic Creatures from CMA's Permanent Collection of Children's Art Click to expand media gallery. Mazeh Farah Whale Age 10 International School of Choueifat Dubai, United Arab Emirates Aline Hitti Fish Age 10 International School of Choueifat Dubai, United Arab Emirates Lina Nawas Fish Age 10 International School of Choueifat Dubai, United Arab Emirates Melnecova T. Untitled Age Unknown Yaroslavl, Russia Khalid Al Qasimi Fish Age 10 International School of Choueifat Dubai, United Arab Emirates NEXT Emergency Exhibition: New Training for Future Artists and Art Lovers Take a Virtual Tour on Bloomberg Connects Donate Now

5/31/24 Arts Education Resources Learning Resource: Collage & Photomontage by Noormah Jamal, CMA Artist in Residence 2023-24, in collaboration with 5th graders at Children’s Workshop School, NYC Click to expand media gallery. View , Download , & Discover More! Generations of creators have made new works by combining old images in new ways. Many students may have encountered collage at some point by incident or in school - the artistic practice of cutting and affixing paper, news clippings, or photographs onto a larger surface to create a new image. This practice has the potential to carry tremendous narrative or storytelling power. For this class, students will look at the practice of collage in the Dada art movement and what made it different from other artistic movements. Dada was an international movement that rejected traditional order and modes of expression in favor of spontaneity, randomness, and even humor. While it may appear visually playful, Dada emerged from the brutality of war and the desire to make sense of a new world. Hannah Höch was a pioneer of photomontage and collage . She masterfully combined elements from different sources to make bold and often political statements. Hannah Höch, Over the Water, 1943 - 1946, collage of paper and offset prints, © 2018 Hannah Höch / VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2018 / Courtesy Kicken Berlin This lesson aims to introduce the concept of visual harmony on a page. Students can share their definitions by arranging the cut-up magazine pieces and gluing them to a surface to make a new composition. Learning Objectives: Develop fine motor skills with cutting and pasting. Share the magazines. Appreciation of the Elements of Art: shape, color, line, space . Appreciation of the Principles of Art: composition, emphasis, proportion . Students should think actively about the 'space' on their paper and make active decisions around placement. Materials: Mixed media paper Glue stick Scissors Magazines Looking at Examples of Collage + Photomontage: Raoul Hausmann (Austrian, b. 1886– d. 1971), A Bourgeois Precision Brain Incites a World Movement, also known as Dada siegt (Dada Triumphs) , 1920, photomontage and collage with watercolor on paper, Private Collection © 2019 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris. (LINK) Hannah Höch (German, b.1889–d.1978) Indian Dancer: From an Ethnographic Museum (Indische Tänzerin: Aus einem ethnographischen Museum) 1930, MoMA, NYC. ( LINK ) Step 1: Look at examples of collage + photomontage It’s tempting to go directly to the material but a meaningful encounter with historical examples can spark imagination and exploration. Look closely at Hannah Höch’ Over the Water (1943), and discuss how disparate elements come together in new ways: a baby’s mouth crying, a sculpted nose and brows, and comically positioned eyes come together to form an expressive face. Step 2: Introduction to materials This project can be executed independently or collaboratively. Depending on the age group of the children you may want to provide some pre-cut shapes or pages, stacks of magazines can become an overwhelming process. Promote sharing. Consider other visual resources like the New York Picture Collection at the New York Public Library. Step 3: Consideration of the page White space on a page is not just a blank page. Help students think about how the white of the page interacts with the forms and can affect the contrast, brightness, and even emotional drama of the interacting forms. Step 4: Sharing our stories Collage carries tremendous narrative and storytelling potential. As we share our creations, ask the children to share their decision making and the stories they constructed. While looking at examples of Dada collage and while creating your composition, consider the following questions: Does my artwork make a statement? What am I trying to say? How can I make combinations of old images new and surprising? Can art be silly and playful? Does my new image tell a story? Instructor Notes: It’s easy for this project to become a “mood board” - which is to say many favorite images are placed on a page without much consideration. Challenge students to create relationships between the cut corms and on the page. For my session, I organized this as a group assignment so they had to share their magazines and make decisions together. Some disagreements were expected as more than one child wanted the same image to cut or use. Examples of Student Work: NEXT Emergency Exhibition: New Training for Future Artists and Art Lovers Take a Virtual Tour on Bloomberg Connects Donate Now