Building Blocks

PAST EXHIBITION – The Studio in a School Gallery

July 18, 2023 – September 20, 2023

We are pleased to share Building Blocks: Art at Every Age—expressive color explorations, collages, and paintings by young artists pre-kindergarten through high school from Studio Institute programs in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and Ohio—on display until September 20.

From the first expressions of a two-year old’s creativity to observation-based portraits by elementary students to still life paintings by high school students, this exhibition highlights the breadth of imagination and depth of perception of these talented students nurtured by our artist instructors.

The color explorations and collage art works were created by pre-kindergarten and early childhood students participating in Studio Institute (Studio) programs at La Casa de Don Pedro Head Start Centers in Newark, New Jersey; the East Orange School District in East Orange, New Jersey; and Family Centers in Greenwich, Connecticut.

The exhibit also presents work from students in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District in Cleveland, Ohio at Clara E. Westropp and Mary B. Martin elementary schools. Their art provides insight into students’ imaginative use of art materials, growing observations, and personal creative choices. Both schools participate in multi-year school partnership programs, where Studio’s in-school artist residencies serve students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.

New York City teens attend our Studio Intensives workshops—free out-of-school art classes in which public high school students hone their art skills and create work to develop their art portfolios. The teens’ observation-based still life paintings in this exhibition reflect their growing skills and confidence as they use acrylic paint to depict color and volume.

The array of work here attests to the importance of art at every level in education and to the importance of arts education and community partnerships. We are pleased to acknowledge the individuals, foundations, and school and community partners who have supported this important work.

View exhibition artworks below!