Tag Archives: UES

January Wishes and Colorful Wonders

January is always thrilling and exciting as we cast our sites on new things ahead! Here’s a few art projects to keep your kids dreaming, wishing and motivated to continue new art projects through the end of January!

Wishing Wand
Supplies: Cardstock Contact paper, Scissors, Assorted Sequins and Glitter, Lours, Marker, Stick/Dowel, Pencil, Ribbon or Wired Garland

Cut out two stars with Cardstock Paper, then take the contact paper and cut it out two times. Make them the size of the star. ****Leave enough room so that the contact paper can be glued to the star later. Decorate one of the contact paper with assorted sequins and glitter lours. Then glue the edges of the contact paper together. Finally, glue the contact paper to the edges of the star. If you have any edges of the contact paper that extends outside of the star then just cut around and re-glue the edges. Last but not least, Set Goals and Resolutions: Write around the outside of the star goals and things to look forward to. 
For example:“FRONT: In 2021, I want to create, earn a new belt, go to the beach. BACK: Learn to read, illustrate, start eating dessert after breakfast.”
-New Years Centerpiece and Wishing Wand, Dancers4Life

Alcohol Ink Coasters  

  • 4 tile coasters (the non-porous and shiny kind :)  
  • Ranger Alcohol Inks ( several colors of choice)  
  • Rubbing Alcohol  
  • Felt  
  • Black Paint  
  • Mod Podge Glue ( or glue of choice)  
  • Paint brushes  
  • Wax paper or something to protect you work surface ( these inks stain…trust me – I learned the hard way !)   
  • Spray Sealer 

First, lay down wax paper on the table, then place the coasters on top. The wax paper will protect the table from spilled paint staining the table. Second, use a paint brush to rub the alcohol on the coasters. Third, place the colors in order of what you want to use first. Then start dropping the paint on the coasters. If you have any white spots then just add more color to it. Fourth, paint the sides black or any color of your choosing. Fifth, cut squares out of black felt. Leave it until you coat the bottom of the coaster with mod podge or glue. Then you can stick the felt to the bottom. Finally, use the spray seal over the paint side and allow it to dry overnight. Enjoy your finished colorful art project!  

-PC and Project: Instructables Living 

Fun Facts about Alcohol Ink!

“Alcohol inks are an exciting new medium in the art world that allow a free flow of expression with a variety of techniques. Artists who specialize in alcohol inks have developed styles that range, from representational art that captures the natural world, to abstract art specializing in serene and gilded designs.“

“The powerful punches of color, use of non-absorbent surfaces, and ability to maintain a clean seal with resin have allowed alcohol ink art to captivate a wide range of art enthusiasts. This artwork is a beautiful way to decorate your walls, as well as all manner of household objects. Alcohol ink artists are famous for their versatility in substrates, as they paint glass vases, jewelry and metals, and functional wooden pieces. No matter what substrate they drop their ink onto, the pieces always come out looking stunning.”

“Louise Christian uses alcohol inks to paint natural scenes, such as forests, trees, flowers, and mushrooms. Her painting range from impressionistic to realistic. Her techniques make use of bold, bright colors and unique textures. To create her full desired vision, she mixes the media by drawing over her paintings with ink pens.”

-PC and Article: Artists Who are Famous for Using Alcohol Ink, Smart Art Box, 2019

Contact us about our art classes to keep your kids busy throughout the year!

Halloween Outdoor Kids Art Event

Spooky Jack O Lantern GIF by Hallmark eCards - Find & Share on GIPHY

CCA and TheBlueBusProject.org have carved out a Spooktacular event for you!

Join us for The Outdoor LIC Halloween Kids Art Event on October 31st from 3-5 pm:

Ages 4-12 welcome! (Adults…Beer/Taco Truck with LIVE MUSIC from 3-9pm)

5-25 46th Ave., LIC NY 11101 @ the Culture Lab LIC

Donation of $15 is Recommended.

Spaces are limited!

Kindly RSVP for your family prior to this event HERE

(CDC Safety Guidelines Followed)

Happy Halloween! 

Slime Artwork

How to age-appropriate Slime?  We believe one medium can be ameliorated to multi-level learning through creative programming…. And here’s how! 

While the mixture of the Slime is the same, the Art Challenges we present are not. 

Combining museum-inspired work with an art education for any age- with keen age-appropriated challenges is what makes this curriculum unique.  While making art, children are inspired by the art of NYC and the world, even recognizing major artists and styles at ages 3 & 4 years old. 

For example, when Joseph Cornell exhibited at the Met., Claire knew this was a great opportunity to keep her slime-crazed students happy– by having them design apothecary-style Joseph Cornell boxes with a wide array of high-end papers and materials, including chalkboard paper and white acrylic markers to write their own French words.  Then she took them to the museum. 

Assemblage Art: Joseph Cornell-Inspired Shadow Boxes 

Using found objects & a decoupage technique, students made shadow boxes for their slimes(!) with an apothecary look, a signature aspect of Assemblage artist Joseph Cornell. Assemblage Art is a form of sculpture comprised of any organic or man-made material/ found objects & assembled together to create a piece based on each child’s choices and personalities. We brainstormed, collected, arranged and layered to visualize aspects of ourselves and to construct a memory in a box.  

Students’ addition of white charcoal pencil, Chinese ink, brushes, calligraphy, letters and words (also French!) helped us to also discover the fun in designing their shadow boxes! 

Fall Classes are Upon Us: Inquire Now 

Or Read more about our Growing Class Offerings:  

Art Adventure (Ages 3 to 8), Rendezvous: (Art, French and Lunch): (Ages 3 to 5), Art Adventures Studio: (Ages 9 and up), DanceArt Expression: (Ages: 3-8), Drawing Adventures: (with Jonathan Lex and various professional local artists): (Ages 9-12) & (Ages: 13-15), Music Adventures (Ages: 2-3), Music & Art Adventures (Ages: 2-3), Global Adventures (Ages: 5 and up), Social Justice Art History Class: (Ages: 10-15), Digital Photography and Social Media Class with Social Justice (Ages: 10 to 15), Monthly Art Workshops for Parents & Children (Featuring Visiting Artists), Bubbs Ross: Painting (and tasting) for Adults. 

Blast from the Past:

CCA ‘s repeat attendance enabled us to search for brand new art to teach each year. In January 2011, we explored exciting ways that regular old paper can be transformed into fantastic art. We studied a variety of artists and their techniques including: Mia Pearlman, Andrea Dezsö and Betrice Coron. Here you see the first stage of our cut paper mobiles project inspired by Mia Pearlman. Students each made at least two drawings with one featuring curvy shapes and one with angle shapes. The next step was to cut out some of the shapes created. Choosing which shapes to cut out, which to leave and just how much negative space to keep around the shapes were important decisions each student had to make about their artwork.The next phase included assembling the pieces into a paper mobile. Here are some end results!