See More Children's Museum of the Arts 10/5/23 Interviews "When you're looking (or listening), notice the scale of different elements in an artwork." Artist Gryphon Rue on drawing exquisite corpses as a child, children's choirs, and a chance encounter with Richard Serra. NEXT IN

6/25/24 Gallery Visits Family Day at Marian Goodman Gallery CMA Artist in Residence Maria D. Rapicavoli led a multi-step art activity inspired by Giuseppe Penone's "Hands - Earth - Light - Colors" exhibition. Click to expand media gallery. We are deeply grateful to the staff and artists of Marian Goodman Gallery for welcoming our families for an exclusive tour and artmaking activity inspired by their recent exhibition Giuseppe Penone: Hands - Earth - Light - Colors . Led by CMA Artist in Residence (and native Italian!) Maria D. Rapicavoli , children took a cue from Penone's large-scale paintings as they experimented with different ways to use their hands as tools. When looking at Penone's works, children noticed horses, volcanos, and even faces smushed against glass. First, students used ink pads and paper to explore how the unique imprints of their skin can create all sorts of shapes and figures. Next, they delved into 2D and 3D representation as they smushed clay between their hands and fingers, drawing connections between their own clay and Penone's Avvolgere la terra - il colore nelle mani (To Enfold the Earth – the colour of the hands) sculptures. Finally, they added natural and man-made materials such as shells, glass marbles, and plastic tiles to their clay sculptures, taking time to notice how the shapes, textures, and even temperatures added dimensions to their works. Of course, children loved sharing their works with the group at the end of the session — one student introduced his sculpture named Hollow , which was situated entirely on a sea shell. NEXT Emergency Exhibition: New Training for Future Artists and Art Lovers Take a Virtual Tour on Bloomberg Connects Donate Now

3/19/24 Artists in Schools Supporting Each Other Through Art Dispatches from CMA Resident Artist Maria D. Rapicavoli's after school class at Hudson Guild. Click to expand media gallery. What would you like to bring into your life? Students played a reverse game of the one they played last month – this time, they were invited to consider what they wish to bring to their lives. It could be something tangible, a feeling, or even a person — something they really wish they had in their lives but can’t have at the moment. They anonymously wrote down their wishes on paper, folded it, and placed it in a basket. Next, students randomly selected a paper from the basket and created an artwork based on its content. If they picked their own paper, they could be free to change or keep it. The aim of the game was to understand that sometimes we need others to help us bring something important into our lives because we cannot do it by ourselves. Art can serve as a powerful tool for representing wishes and desires that otherwise are hard to express! One student wrote that they wanted a new house, and Elian, who made the artwork based on that post, drew a house and titled it “a new home of kindness.” Another student drew a beautiful image of a mother hugging her child. Two students expressed their desire to own a VR face mask, while another student wanted “freedom and a baby horse.” Several students wanted to build a new house, and a few even collaborated to create a furnished house made of cardboard. Maria's work at Hudson Guild 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

10/12/23 Interviews "Always (and forever) trust in yourself." Artist Lea Colombo on childhood art memories and choosing photography in high school. 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 Lea Colombo . Lea as a young artist Do you have a favorite memory of making art as a child? Being messy and colorful. And me always leaving a trace! What advice would you give to young artists who wish to pursue an art practice? Always (and forever) trust in yourself, fake it ‘till you make it. How does working with children inspire you? Children are pure consciousness. They are so open and unconditioned. They see everything, the unknown, everything as it exists before us. They are pure light. When did you first know you were going to be an artist? I chose art as a high school subject. I started with photography and it all evolved from there. Lea Colombo White Light Red Sign Self Fade Green Yellow colour hand print on Fuji Maxima glossy archival museum paper Bid Now NEXT Emergency Exhibition: New Training for Future Artists and Art Lovers Take a Virtual Tour on Bloomberg Connects Donate Now

Ambassador Program . Sign up today to become an Ambassador for utterly ambitious art programs for the children of New York City. . How You'll Help In addition to an annual financial contribution, Ambassadors take an active role in promoting the utterly ambitious work our Resident Artists are doing in New York City classrooms. Children's Museum of the Arts will provide in-depth monthly updates on the progress of our students, as well as special social media and email tools to help our Ambassadors advocate for the arts throughout the year. : Who You'll Advocate For Hudson Guild CHELSEA, MANHATTAN Rooted in the Chelsea neighborhood, Hudson Guild seeks to co-create with individuals and families to achieve their highest potential, while maintaining a priority focus on those in economic need. Many of the families have experienced urgent housing needs. See more . What You'll Get 1. Monthly dedicated newsletter with in-depth updates on your program's progress 2. Special invitations to visit the program at your selected partner site 3. Special invitations to join field trips to galleries, museums, and more throughout the year 4. Opportunities to volunteer at special programming events held at each partner site 5. Discounted tickets to CMA fundraising events 6. Discounts on CMA merchandise 7. Recognition in printed benefit materials (Community, NYC, & Corporate levels) 8. Recognition on CMA’s website 9. Personalized social media kits to celebrate your advocacy throughout the year . Ambassador Levels AMBASSADOR (Individual) $45 a month or $500 annually (save $40) For individuals looking for a great way to give back to their community, and get to know other like-minded patrons of the arts. FAMILY AMBASSADOR $90 a month , or $1,000 annually (save $80) For families looking to spend quality time making the highest quality arts education possible for the children of New York City. COMMUNITY AMBASSADOR $225 a month , or $2,500 annually (save $200) For those looking to lead in the communities that need it most. Includes special event recognition and an individualized action plan in their selected community. NYC AMBASSADOR $450 a month , or $5,000 annually (save $400) For city-wide leaders looking to forge connections all over town. Includes special event recognition and an individualized action plan across all partner sites. CORPORATE AMBASSADOR Custom For companies especially interested in volunteer opportunities for their employees. Includes custom event recognition opportunities throughout the year. . Feeling ambitious Inquire Today ? Select Partner Select Level Submit Inquiry Thanks for inquiring! We'll be in touch soon with details.

10/13/23 Interviews "I realized then that art was a messy, imperfect, and deeply human practice that I wanted to pursue." Artist Michael Dayton Hermann on viewing Mike Kelley's work for the first time in the 90s. 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 Michael Dayton Hermann . Michael presents his award from a local children’s art exhibition Do you have a favorite memory of making art as a child? Drawing as a young child was a validation of the power of imagination. What advice would you give to young artists who wish to pursue an art practice? There are no such things as mistakes. Fear is a burden that success can never bear. How does working with children inspire you? Children have a clarity and confidence that the accumulated baggage of life often obscures for adults. When did you first know you were going to be an artist? I’ve always seen myself as an artist – it is how I make sense of the world. Can you describe a formative experience visiting a museum or gallery? Seeing Mike Kelley’s work for the first time in the 1990s knocked my mythical idea of an artist off the pedestal. I realized then that art was a messy, imperfect, and deeply human practice that I wanted to pursue. Michael Dayton Hermann Flowers for Dayton oil and inkjet 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 7/12/23 Exhibitions sampling: Collaborative Hip-Hop Mural NEXT IN

1/9/24 Interviews Meet CMA Artist in Residence Niousha Kiarashi The Iranian artist and educator on sneaking into her mother's closet to create costumes and the role of fundamentals in arts education. Click to expand media gallery. 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 Iranian multidisciplinary artist and educator Niousha Kiarashi , who works with elementary age students at Sid Miller Academy , one of the leading District 75 school providing specialized support for children with disabilities. Niousha as a young artist Can you describe a fruitful childhood experience that influenced your practice? I used to sneak in my mother's closet and make costumes out of everything I could find and perform in an imaginary world full of imaginary characters. Still to this day I'm making costumes and trying to create environments to perform within. Why is it important to make art accessible to all children and families? Childhood is the most crucial time of our life and makes the most important impacts on us creating our future characters. Creating art and it being accessible for everyone makes everybody able to get more closer to their perceptions of their surroundings and to make a better self. Expressing their characters through art and visualizing them in order to solve more of this complex puzzle of existence. Up Close, fine liner on paper and photograph, 12 x 16 cm, 2019 In your words, what does it mean to be an artist? To observe everything more carefully and try to connect with deeper aspects of the nature of things to be able to define them in a simple way. Why is children’s artwork important within the context of art history? The unconscious understanding of the fundamentals of art that every child has allows them to produce works that could be both the origin and initial steps for becoming a greater artist and change the history of the art. Far Off, marker, fine liner, and color pencil on paper, 10 x 15 cm, 2019 About Niousha Kiarashi 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. She is passionate about creating alternative and sustainable ways of understanding our surroundings and working with diverse communities to put these experiences into practice. Support Niousha's work at Sid Miller Academy by donating to CMA's Emergency Arts Education Fund , which provides free arts education to NYC schools that need it most. NEXT Emergency Exhibition: New Training for Future Artists and Art Lovers Take a Virtual Tour on Bloomberg Connects Donate Now

3/22/24 Artists in Schools Visiting Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts CMA Resident Artist Maria D. Rapicavoli visited Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts with her after school students from Hudson Guild. Click to expand media gallery. Students headed uptown to one of New York's most respected artist organizations, The Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts ! Luckily for them, Maria is very familiar with the space, as she has her own studio there as part of the EFA Studio Program. First up, students met with EFA Studios Director Alexandra Unthank for a look at the current exhibition Running Joke , which showcases the work of nine artists using humor, play, and symbolism in their work. The students loved interacting with the installations, such as a duo of fake chickens that came to life with the press of a button, and stuffed pillows resembling cats and dogs, which led to a discussion on the subjectivity of humor. We even got to make a few chicken jokes for good luck! Next, students headed down the hall to visit Maria's studio. Maria shared the tools that she uses to create her sculptures, and even showed them how she carves a map into her wall using a dremel! They loved hearing about the turtles that lived near Maria' childhood home and admired her recent turtle sketches. Of course, they wanted to know the turtles' names – Lattuga (Italian for lettuce) and Fortunato (Italian for lucky). One student spotted one of his own sculptures, which Maria had taken back to her studio to repair. The best part was peering through Maria's functional hand-carved alabaster telescope. Inspired by Galileo's first telescope and commissioned by Socrates Sculpture Park in Queens, A Starry Messenger presents a composite image sourced from satellite surveillance images that is visible when looking through the telescope lens. Lastly, students visited the EFA Project Space to view the exhibition Psycho-tropics: Belonging Elsewhere . They enjoyed engaging with the sound and video artworks, dancing, and listening to music. One piece in particular featured the sound of a heartbeat and evoked strong emotions in some of the students. Of course, the highlight was petting a fellow visitor's puppy! Our heartfelt thanks to everyone at EFA who worked together to provide a fantastic tour to our students! Maria's work at Hudson Guild 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 1/31/24 Artists in Schools Noormah's Reflections: January CMA Resident Artist Noormah Jamal on her January projects at Children's Workshop School. NEXT IN