Whitney Museum of American Art: Blogs: FamilyBlog

Artist On-site: Ellen Harvey

Whitney Museum of American Art — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 12:06:00 -0500

Categories: FamilyBlog, EducationBlog

This past weekend, families had the opportunity to work with 2008 Biennial artist Ellen Harvey. Kids, parents and grandparents learned about her artistic processes and techniques from the artist herself before trying them out on their own in the galleries.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Whitney Museum of American Art — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:20:00 -0500

Categories: FamilyBlog

Spotlight on Watercolors

Whitney Museum of American Art — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:17:00 -0500

Categories: FamilyBlog

Family Programs has been using liquid watercolors in our workshops for the Georgia O’Keeffe: Abstraction exhibition and they have been quite a hit! They are a great material to have fun with on a rainy day. Each small bottle packs a rich, dense color. The paint allows you to mix colors easily, move the color around the paper, and make colors darker or lighter.

We recommend that you pour a small amount of watercolor into a small paper cup or onto a palette. A little goes a long way. We also suggest that you have a container of water to dilute the color for subtle washes here and there. The water can be used for cleaning your brushes too. Using different-size brushes to paint large areas or fill in small details. Try it at home!

Find the liquid watercolors and other art supplies on our Resources page.

By Paula Santos

Artist On-site: Zoe Strauss

Whitney Museum of American Art — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:42:00 -0500

Categories: FamilyBlog, EducationBlog

Last weekend, Family Programs was thrilled to host fabulous photographer Zoe Strauss for our first Artist’s Choice Workshop of the season. Zoe led a group of families through the exhibition Roni Horn aka Roni Horn , exploring Horn’s photographs, drawings, and sculptures in relation to her own work and process.

WhitneyKids Toolbox is here!

Whitney Museum of American Art — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:57:00 -0500

Categories: FamilyBlog, EducationBlog

Our toolboxes have finally arrived! For the Georgia O’Keeffe:Abstraction exhibition, Family Programs is trying something new. In addition to a printed activity guide with drawing activities and conversation starters, families will get a “toolbox” filled with hands-on materials designed to accompany the guide.

For O’Keeffe, kids can choose a natural object from their toolbox to use as the beginning of a drawing activity exploring abstraction. From carrots to clam shells, kids have the chance to choose their own object and create art work inspired by O’Keeffe’s process.

The guides and toolboxes will be available for FREE with admission to families visiting the museum to use in the galleries. Pick one up in the lobby on your next visit!

By Stina Puotinen

Family Course: No Bones About It!

Whitney Museum of American Art — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:46:00 -0500

Categories: FamilyBlog, EducationBlog

Actually, lots of bones! This Thursday marked the third week of our after-school family course, where kids and parents are getting a behind-the-scenes intensive look at Georgia O’Keeffe and her work. Artist educator Barbara Ellmann leads the parent and child duos in gallery exploration, sketching, and long term projects; so far, there’s been a lot of wonderful work with watercolors and paints.

This week, course participants took a close look at some actual bones and shells from Maxilla and Mandible for an abstract drawing exercise. Using slide mounts as viewfinders, kids and parents focused on elements of the various skulls, bones, and vertebrae to create their own abstract drawings and paintings.

You can try the same thing at home, whether or not you can find a bone! Choose an object that interests you and look for a part that you find particularly interesting. Draw the shapes, lines, and colors that you see in that small area, and voila! you’ve experimented with abstraction!

By Stina Puotinen

Tenth Annual Family Day at the Whitney

Whitney Museum of American Art — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:03:00 -0400

Categories: FamilyBlog, EducationBlog

Our tenth Annual Family Day kicked off the fall season in style, celebrating the Georgia O’Keeffe: Abstraction exhibition with a full afternoon of tours, art-making, and artist projects. Families explored the exhibition through guided tours with Family Programs educators, and had the chance to experiment with their own abstractions during a drawing activity in the galleries. Check out our additional blog posts to find out what else went on.

By Stina Puotinen

Windowfarms and Plant Parenthood

Whitney Museum of American Art — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:50:00 -0400

Categories: FamilyBlog, EducationBlog

During our tenth Annual Family Day, families enjoyed two artist projects designed and installed especially for the event, and inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe’s interest in the natural world around her. Britta Riley and her fantastic crew of fellow farmers created a huge indoor windowfarm installation for the Museum’s front windows, demonstrating that it is indeed possible to grow your own vegetable garden in New York City, and even at the Whitney! The artists from Windowfarms.org also designed a single planting system for families to take home their own seedling and start their own windowfarm.

But first, families were encouraged to adopt their plant from artists with Plant Parenthood. Artist Steve Lambert and his collaborators designed a special project for the event to help kids and parents learn about plants and how to care for them. For “Uncommon Ground,” families pressed stethoscopes against a large planter of different vegetables, shrubs, and trees to listen to the plants’ commentary, discussions, and inner thoughts, voiced by comic actors and friends. Then kids were asked to take a “plant pledge,” and promise to care for their newly adopted plant.

All in all, families were offered many ways to enjoy the museum, its exhibitions, and activities. Everyone left with a smile (and a seedling).

By Stina Puotinen

Postcards From the Edge

Whitney Museum of American Art — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:43:00 -0400

Categories: FamilyBlog, EducationBlog

Georgia O’Keeffe wrote many letters to friends and family, and they have been an important research tool for the Whitney’s exhibition. As a follow up to the Family Day event, we asked kids and parents to write postcards to friends and family about their experience with the exhibition, artists, and activities, inspired by O’Keeffe’s own letter writing. Here are a few memorable quotes:

I saw splatter paint. I made broccoli. We saw a lily pad picture by Georgia O’Keeffe. I saw abstract pictures. —Sydney

I like the fifth floor. I bought a bottle of lemonade. —Unknown

We have a new free broccoli plant and we will take very good care of it! We saw the Georgia O’Keeffe exhibit. —Aivy and Khai

I like the coloring on the pink moon. —Gillian

I saw the clouds number one and two but not number three! I loved it we also got food! —Claire

We had soo much fun! We went to a Georgia O’Keeffe exhibit. We heard about abstract and how they were made. Hope you can come soon. —Bela

Yo Unc. Bob it’s a art museum card it’s cool and awesome. —Joshua

Today we went to a museum. It was very fun. I hope you have had fun recently. We planted a plant, saw art by Georgia O’Keeffe and mailed a letter! —Emma

We did a lot of stuff today. We rode buses and we planted a plant. —Leo

Dear ________, I’ve sent you some lettuce and beets in a separate bag because I want you to eat more veggies. —Unknown

Hey ________, Guess what we did while you were playing baseball? We got to see awesome paintings and sculptures. We did some really fun activities, not to mention eating the best hamburgers, fries, milkshakes and ice cream! EVER! —Unknown.

By Stina Puotinen

Kids Stay Cool at the Whitney this Summer

Whitney Museum of American Art — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:27:00 -0400

Categories: FamilyBlog, EducationBlog

Looking for a way to beat the heat this summer? Come inside and enjoy some kid-friendly contemporary art at the Whitney! Sculptures by Claes Oldenburg on the second floor spark the imagination with a huge BLT, some soft French fries with ketchup, and a larger-than-life vinyl toilet! Kids love to look at these everyday objects made big, and the drawings that inspired them. Also on view and recently restored, Oldenburg’s enormous Ice Bag—Scale C from 1971 expands, twists, and turns on a timed cycle, to the delight of kid and adult viewers.

On the fourth floor, the exhibition Dan Graham: Beyond is the surprise kid pleaser, with huge mirrored interactive pavilions and installations to explore. Little hands can be kept busy in the Girls’ Makeup Room, which features a mirror you can hold, and even some lipstick to apply—if you dare. Graham’s pavilions throughout the exhibition provide lots of mirrors for mugging and dancing around, and create a carnival-mirror effect for the viewer, distorting sizes and shapes in their reflections.

There’s fun for families to be had on every floor of the Whitney! Come inside and see what we have to offer.

WhitneyKids Punk Rock!

Whitney Museum of American Art — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 18:35:00 -0400

Categories: FamilyBlog, EducationBlog

Thanks to all the families who came out and rocked out at WhitneyKids Punk Rock! on Saturday, July 11th! It was a great way to celebrate a really amazing exhibition, Dan Graham: Beyond. We saw so many kids covered in fake rock and roll tattoos all over the museum; checking out the pavilions in the galleries, watching animated films that were inspired by and inspirational to Dan Graham, and making their own comic book ‘zines. Kids big and small were bouncing around to the rocking tunes of Japanther. The band collaborated with the Whitney to create a revised version of one of Dan Graham’s pavilions, a “skate pavilion” which they installed outside in the sculpture court.

After a bit of a slow start getting the band and their skate ramp set up, Ian Vanek and Matt Reily really put on an amazing show. Their friend and professional biker Darryl Nau / BLACKEN, went crazy all afternoon, doing flips, turns and all sorts of other awesome BMX tricks while the band played. Even Matt, the bassist, got on his own skateboard and did some tricks for the crowd after the set. All the kids went home with their very own pair of neon green sunglasses, to keep them looking and feeling cool long after the event. We hope to see you at our fall Family Day event on Saturday, October 3rd in celebration of the exhibition Georgia O’Keeffe: Abstraction. Save the date!