Making Art Together

Sustainability in the Art Studio

April 20th, 2021

In 2018, the Art Studio announced our intentions to reduce our plastic usage. Over the course of the past two years, we have spent considerable time researching sustainability, creating new systems, testing out new products, and intentionally designing projects with sustainability in mind. We’d like to share with you some of the things we have learned since that last post. READ MORE

Book Displays in the Art Studio

March 10th, 2021

In the Art Studio, we always have an installation that guests can contribute their art to. We have wonderful windows and display walls to use, and each project is a unique challenge to design an installation. When thinking about a collaborative display, we consider how to make it visually appealing, inviting, and intuitive for guests to add to. One of the most challenging installations to design are book displays because we want the books to be picked up and read by guests, but also supported when they are a part of the installation. Below are some of the ways we have displayed books on our display wall. READ MORE

Paper and Glue Rubbing Plates

February 11th, 2021

One of our favorite tools to use in the Art Studio are rubbing plates. We’ve made several posts about making them with natural materials, manufactured materials, and materials from around your home. But to use them in the Art Studio during the pandemic, we had to think of a new way to create rubbing plates. We needed to make rubbing plates that could be single-use and fit the safety protocols for the Art Studio- something that all educators are balancing during the pandemic. To make them more sustainable, we determined that the plates had to be durable yet paper-based, and something that folks could take home. In thinking back on a previous toddler program, we realized that we had a solution, using only liquid glue, and sturdy paper! READ MORE

Inspired by the Small Things

January 18th, 2021

While prepping supplies in the Art Studio, there are often a lot of small pieces that are left behind. Small scraps of paper become large piles as we cut and hole punch materials for our Every Day Art Projects. And the more time we spend looking at them, even the smallest scrap becomes inspiration for art-making. This blog post will share some of the scraps we have been saving, and how they can be used for art-making. READ MORE

Painting with Found Materials

November 18th, 2020

When thinking about creating a painting project during a pandemic, we thought about all the different ways you can paint without a paintbrush using every day materials that you can find at home. We were inspired by one of Eric Carle’s artistic processes, where he paints tissue papers to later use in collages. While he uses a paintbrush to paint, he has also used found materials to make marks including carpet squares and brooms. Inspired by how materials can be stamped, pulled, and pushed across the paper, we decided to create a project that allowed for color-mixing and painting with found objects. READ MORE