2.28.2010

Sunday at the Art Museum

SoJo and I took a trip to "my" art museum this afternoon (where I work) and he had a great time checking out the art, including the big outdoor sculpture near the entrance..
Besides giving me "tickets" (our own private game where he gives Mr. Geek and I pretend tickets or real scraps of paper), he played with blocks and did a bit of coloring.
The museum has free Sunday programming where the Museum educators (myself included, though not today) assist visitors in making simple make-and-take art projects.
There's also an interactive kids' gallery that we re-design each time we get a new Special Exhibition (roughly twice a year). It's a lot of work, but so fun to make (imagine that show Trading Spaces, but with much smaller budget) and to see how much people enjoy it. The theme of our current show is The Green House, which focuses on eco-friendly architecture, so the kids' gallery was transformed into a green theme. Do you recognize this chandelier?
Yep, it's the one I made last year, and it's on loan to the gallery. There were also other fun things made with recycled items, like cereal box/cardboard garlands and mobiles
A bicycle clock and cardboard sconces
a giant dragon (I think we named him Recycle Rex or something goofy like that) made from cardboard boxes and other stuff we recycled from the storage closet.
I love the eyes, made from a globe cut in half, with coffee filter eyebrows.
We painted the boxes yellow (though I would have just left them unpainted--more natural-looking) and on top of each box is a little environment that kids can add to using paper, recycled egg cartons, string and other stuff. Each box represents a different setting, like water, air, land and sky.

This wall has an activity where kids write a wish for the earth or something they do to "go green" on a paper hand and then paste it onto the wall for others to see. I painted the cardboard globe, which is pretty cute, I must say. They eyes are actually pages from a magazine.
Under the world is a bean bag game using repurposed socks and gloves filled with rice as the bags.

We had a nice time, especially getting out of the house and being around other kids. Have you checked out your local museums lately?


9 comments:

Amy W said...

I had no idea you were a museum educator!! Your displays are really neat! One of my best friends went to NYC to get her master's, and now works at the NY Transit Museum. Hope to visit her some day!

JDaniel4's Mom said...

Your art work is wonderful. I love the dragon.

Braley Mama said...

What fun! You did a great job on your painting! Must of been so nice for soJo too:O)
My sis and I are going to the Asia Art museum In San Fran at the end of March. I have been wanting to go forever.:O)

Naomi said...

I totally want to bring the kids to visit, it looks like a great museum and they are so lucky to have you.

angie said...

He is getting so big! I love that you work in a museum, and I'm always impressed with the things you do with your son!

HOW are you, anyway?

TheEclecticElement said...

Oh wow, that must be so fun working there!! That is definitely creativity at it's best :D
Look at all those amazing projects (and I indeed recognized that chandelier before I read the writing).
I bet SoJo had a fantastic time ^.^

Victor | UPrinting said...

This is amazing! I was surprised that you were a museum educator, your job is really amazing! I think it would be fun to work while unlocking the potential creative artist in a child.

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