KIDS & FAMILIES

 A startling juxtaposition of ideas: sometimes that’s all it takes to kick-start creativity. How much easier it is to pick up a pencil when a teacher, instead of saying, “draw something,” offers the prompt: “draw a peanut butter sandwich resting on the ocean floor.” At Maud Morgan Arts, an epicenter of creativity unto itself, the spring session features classes that provide more than prompts; these courses stretch the imagination across multiple mediums to send students galumphing down new avenues of artistic expression in the belief that all students can surprise themselves with their own art.

During the April vacation workshop for 3rd-9th graders, "Print Your Fabric/Sew Your Project," Boriana Kantcheva and Mary Kenny teach students how to print their own patterns onto fabric using screen-printing inks. Then students use the fabric to sew a pillow, an apron, a skirt, a tunic, a handbag, a set of curtains or anything else they can imagine. In “Four Seasons/Two Masters: Spring,” a weekend workshop for adults, Pauline Runkel begins with techniques for arranging a floral display magnificent enough to paint, and then Jane Goldman guides students as they capture their bouquets in watercolor. This two-day workshop is one in a series of four workshops, each highlighting the natural wonders of a different season.

Finally, to keep the mix lively, Maud Morgan Arts welcomes new faculty member Roz Sommer, one of the 2nd place winners of Maud Morgan Arts’ 2012 2D Small Works Salon whose paintings were featured in a recent show at the Chandler Gallery, to teach two painting classes that delve dramatically into their respective mediums. “Investigative Painting,” for children in grades 3-5, will introduce young artists to color mixing, pattern, texture, and composition through tempera paint, seeking inspiration from famous artists and diverse cultures. “Painting: Line, Plane, Color,” will give middle-school students a solid foundation in acrylic painting, including lessons on observation, using a viewfinder to frame a composition, and various application techniques to get the most out of this unique medium.

Spring session classes run for eight weeks from April 8 through June 10. April vacation week classes run for four days from April 16-19. Preschool open studio and adult life-drawing classes are ongoing. Check www.maudmorganarts.org for specific dates for weekend adult workshops. Maud Morgan Arts (MMA) is a program under the umbrella of the Agassiz Baldwin Community, a private, non-profit organization with a forty-year history of quality programs and services in the Cambridge community. MMA comprises a full arts program of classes and workshops for all ages, the Chandler Gallery, and a collection of original art by noted artist and community resident Maud Morgan (1903-1999). The agency works to reflect the diversity and talents of the community, bringing people together to make art, share art, and support visual arts education.