10/5/23 Interviews "Make space for your art, and time to be alone." Artist Trudy Benson making her first abstract composition at age 10. Click to expand media gallery. Great artists make artists. And to prove that point, over 70 of today's greatest have contributed their work in support of Children's Museum of the Arts' Emergency Arts Education Fund , establishing utterly ambitious art programs in New York City schools that need them most. Bidding for the online auction concludes Thursday, October 19 at 12 PM EDT . Bid now. Bid often. Bid here. Below, meet auction artist Trudy Benson . Trudy (lower right) making art with her brother, mother, and mother's friend Do you have a favorite memory of making art as a child? I went with my dad to work for Take Your Daughter to Work Day around age 10 or 11. Before he retired, my dad was a computer programmer, so I got to sit at his desk and use his computer for part of the day. I made some drawings using MacPaint, and then used his work printer to print them. I was obsessed with the black and white toolbar. Maybe this was the first time I consciously made abstract compositions! What advice would you give to young artists who wish to pursue an art practice? Always be making something. Make space for your art, and time to be alone. How does working with children inspire you? Children are truly the best artists. My 6 year old niece and I recently collaborated on a small painting together, and she is truly fearless. She reminded me not to be afraid to take risks. When did you first know you were going to be an artist? I think I was around 8, though it could have been younger. I feel like I *always* knew. Can you describe a formative experience visiting a museum or gallery? My mom took me to Anderson Gallery at Virginia Commonwealth University, which was being used for a contemporary sculpture installation. I have no idea who the artist was, but there was a set of yellow raincoats hung from cartoonish hooks (or so I recall), and I was a bit disturbed by it. In another room was a wall installation of candid polaroids. I was pretty young and I remember thinking that art could be anything. Trudy Benson Olio acrylic and oil on canvas Bid Now 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 12/1/23 Kids Art 5 Celebrations from CMA's Collection of Children's Art NEXT IN

Jul 7, 2023 Celebrate 50 years of hip-hop with these NYC events and exhibits Rossilynne Skena Culgan Donate Now

Open Studio: Paper Bag Puppets [August 14] Free Community Artmaking Monday, August 14, 2023 3 PM to 5 PM Pier 57 Pier 57, 11th Avenue, New York, NY, USA Media Inquiries: adam@culturalcounsel.com RSVP Design and build your own paper bag puppet character from start to finish! Kids will visit various stations as they build clothes and accessories for their puppet. Along the way, they’ll create individual storylines inspired by their character. About Open Studio at Pier 57 Taking place Mondays and Thursdays, Open Studio at Pier 57 invites children to explore hands-on projects across a wide range of artistic disciplines. Specially designed for children on the Autism Spectrum but welcoming to all, each Inclusives session is multisensory focused. Participants will explore art materials (such as clay, paper, or textiles) at their own pace alongside movement breaks and ample time for storytelling and social interaction. What To Expect Sessions are led by CMA Artist Instructors Emma Waldman and JT Baldassarre and are inspired by historic and contemporary New York City art and artists. The program’s curriculum is rooted in accessible artmaking practices and Children’s Museum of the Arts’ pedagogy of Look, Make, Share. Take a peek at one of our virtual Inclusives lessons, catered to children with Autism, that families can try at home: here ! While caregivers are welcome to stay with their children, families are encouraged to enjoy the extraordinary setting of Pier 57 in the adjacent Family Living Room for the duration of the session. Children's Museum of the Arts' Open Studio at Pier 57 is generously supported by the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation, Ruth Foundation for the Arts, William Talbott Hillman Foundation, First Republic Bank, The LeRoy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation, Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation, Google Community Grants Fund, Amazon, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Harriet Ames Charitable Trust, The Cowles Charitable Trust, Hammitt, and the Viniar Family Foundation. Donate Now

Oct 28, 2021 5 Things to Do This Weekend Laurel Graeber Donate Now

See More Children's Museum of the Arts 3/23/22 Reading Lists Reading List Imagine Peace with These 7 Children’s Books Dive into themes of peace with these seven children's books. Last April, we teamed up with ArtBridge to put out a call for children’s art to be included in a new mural by Tomashi Jackson around the corner from Children’s Museum of the Arts in Hudson Square. We asked kids to consider: What does peace look like? How do we make peace? Why do we want peace? The resulting artworks are now view at 550 Washington Street. Dive into themes of peace, harmony, and understanding with these seven children’s books below. "The Peace Book" by Todd Parr With colorful pictures and simple prose, Todd Parr explains peace in terms of helping a neighbor, making new friends, keeping streets clean, or listening to music. Peace becomes less of an immaterial concept and more of a concrete way for children to emulate peacefulness with actions. "Peace is an Offering" by Annette LeBox and Stephanie Graegin For children concerned with war, mass shootings, and unrest in our society, this book will help ease their fears and remind them that there are peaceful, helpful people everywhere. "Peace" by Wendy Anderson Halperin Expanding on the eastern philosophies behind peace, this book explains that the path to peace begins from within, making it a great choice to share with children when discussing bullying, conflict, or inappropriate actions. "What Does Peace Feel Like?" by Vladimir Radunsky What does peace feel like, taste like, sound like, smell like, and look like? This charming book reveals children’s answers on peace as it relates to the five senses. "Peace Pool Magic" by Diane G. Tillman Facing modern day middle school troubles from mean kids and bullies, Mana discovers an old world mystery with the mystical Menehunes of Hawaii. They teach him about peace and self-respect, as well as the achievements that kids are capable of when they are determined to be the difference in their own world. "The Peace Tree from Hiroshima: The Little Bonsai with a Big Story" by Sandra Moore This true children’s story is told by a little bonsai tree, called Miyajima, that lived with the same family in the Japanese city of Hiroshima for more than 300 years before being donated to the National Arboretum in Washington DC in 1976 as a gesture of friendship between America and Japan to celebrate the American Bicentennial. "Peace Week in Miss Fox’s Class" by Eileen Spinelli Miss Fox is tired of hearing her young students quarrel. So she announces Peace Week ― no more squabbling for one whole week! The children chime in with their own rules: no fighting, don’t say mean things, and help others. Throughout the week, each of the little animals gets a chance to practice this new behavior. Pictured: Caitlin, age 7, shows off her artwork to artist Tomashi Jackson NEXT IN Reading Lists Celebrate Women’s History Month with These 10 Children’s Books Celebrate Women’s History Month with These 10 Children’s Books

Open Studio [July 10] Free Community Artmaking Monday, July 10, 2023 3 PM to 5 PM Pier 57 Pier 57, 11th Avenue, New York, NY, USA Media Inquiries: adam@culturalcounsel.com RSVP Open Studio at Pier 57 invites children to explore hands-on projects across a wide range of artistic disciplines. Specially designed for children on the Autism Spectrum but welcoming to all, each Inclusives session is multisensory focused. Participants will explore art materials (such as clay, paper, or textiles) at their own pace alongside movement breaks and ample time for storytelling and social interaction. What To Expect Sessions are led by CMA Artist Instructors Emma Waldman and JT Baldassarre and are inspired by historic and contemporary New York City artists. Each session includes hands-on artmaking, storytelling, and plenty of interactive communication and fun. Children will have ample time to express their ideas and explore their creativity through multisensory-focused projects and materials. The program’s curriculum is rooted in accessible artmaking practices and Children’s Museum of the Arts’ pedagogy of Look, Make, Share. Take a peek at one of our virtual Inclusives lessons, catered to children with Autism, that families can try at home: here ! While caregivers are welcome to stay with their children, families are encouraged to enjoy the extraordinary setting of Pier 57 in the adjacent Family Living Room for the duration of the session. Children's Museum of the Arts' Open Studio at Pier 57 is generously supported by the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation, Ruth Foundation for the Arts, William Talbott Hillman Foundation, First Republic Bank, The LeRoy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation, Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation, Google Community Grants Fund, Amazon, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Harriet Ames Charitable Trust, The Cowles Charitable Trust, Hammitt, and the Viniar Family Foundation. Donate Now

10/5/23 Interviews "The idea that a child can work on something that creates an entire universe with available materials and time is amazing to me." Artist Ian McDonald on the willingness to experiment and try again. Click to expand media gallery. Great artists make artists. And to prove that point, over 70 of today's greatest have contributed their work in support of Children's Museum of the Arts' Emergency Arts Education Fund , establishing utterly ambitious art programs in New York City schools that need them most. Bidding for the online auction concludes Thursday, October 19 at 12 PM EDT . Bid now. Bid often. Bid here. Below, meet auction artist Ian McDonald . Do you have a favorite memory of making art as a child? I realize now that art was something I wanted to do on my own. It was something that I chose to do in my free time. I think this impulse is still with me today. I look forward to getting to the studio each day. What advice would you give to young artists who wish to pursue an art practice? The best thing is to try and try again. Sometimes the best ideas and best artwork happens on the first try. Sometimes it happens on the 100th try, and sometimes on the 100th try you realize the 48th version was really good! The best way to find out is to try and try again. How does working with children inspire you? The willingness to experiment. The idea that a child can work on something that creates an entire universe with available materials and time is amazing to me. Ian McDonald Shade Vessel (red w/red and black parts) ceramic, terra sigillata, glaze, and attachment hardware Bid Now NEXT Emergency Exhibition: New Training for Future Artists and Art Lovers Take a Virtual Tour on Bloomberg Connects Donate Now

E.V. Day Artist E.V. Day is a New York-based interdisciplinary artist whose work explores themes of feminism and humor while employing gravity-defying suspension techniques. Recently awarded the prestigious Rome Prize for Visual Arts by the American Academy in Rome, Day worked for a year in the Eternal City where she continued a twenty-year practice of creating sculptures that interact with, and respond to grand architectural spaces. Day emerged into the contemporary art scene after graduating in 1995 from Yale University School of Art’s sculpture MFA program, and has had group and solo exhibitions in the U.S. and internationally ever since. Day’s work is in the permanent collections of the Whitney Museum of American Art, The Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, The Brooklyn Museum, The National Museum of Women in the Arts, The New York Public Library, Saatchi Collection, The Lever House, and The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Donate Now Since 1988

Diwali Artmaking Celebration Free Community Artmaking Wednesday, November 8, 2023 4 PM to 7 PM Pier 57 Pier 57, 11th Avenue, New York, NY, USA Media Inquiries: adam@culturalcounsel.com RSVP Diwali-2_edited.jpg Celebrate Diwali with Children’s Museum of the Arts and The Culture Tree during a free all ages artmaking program at Pier 57. Activities include: Rangoli Coasters [All Ages] Learn the art of Rangoli from educator Apnavi Pareek, founder of Buzy Bugs, and create your very own Rangoli coaster to use at home. Originating in India, Rangoli is an art form consisting of patterns created on the floor using materials such as colored rice, dry flour, colored sand, or petals. Designs are passed from one generation to the next, keeping both the art form and the tradition alive among families and loved ones. Diwali Puppet Storytime [Ages 12 & under] Embark on an interactive learning journey through the tale of Ram, Sita, Lakshman, and Hanuman in this bilingual storytime with author and the founder of The Culture Tree, Anu Sehgal. Artists will create their own mixed-media puppets that can enact the story at home. This program is part of A Diwali Celebration presented by Market 57 in collaboration with Ammi , Lolo’s on the Water , and Malai . The evening features live performances with Ajna Dance Company, henna artists, food specials, and more. About The Culture Tree The Culture Tree promotes cultural literacy about South Asia through language and educational and cultural programs. Founded by children’s book author Anu Sehgal, The Culture Tree’s goal is to create empathy, respect and understanding towards all different cultures and further inclusivity, while still helping address questions about identity with heritage cultures. Learn more at theculturetree.com Children's Museum of the Arts at Pier 57 is generously supported by the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation, Ruth Foundation for the Arts, William Talbott Hillman Foundation, First Republic Bank, The LeRoy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation, Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation, Google Community Grants Fund, Amazon, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Harriet Ames Charitable Trust, The Cowles Charitable Trust, Hammitt, and the Viniar Family Foundation. Additional support is provided, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. Donate Now