Providence ¡CityArts! |
¡CityArts! is a community arts organization that provides free, professional arts education to Providence youth, ages 8-14. Our work is inspired by the creative process of art- making and the exploration of ideas and concepts that shape our communities and everyday lives Providence ¡CityArts! for Youth |
The Big Draw was started by the Campaign for Drawing to increase awareness of the importance of drawing and how it is essential to our everyday lives. I attended a Power Drawing session at the RISD museum, which introduced me along with other Providence art educators to the seemingly infinite ways that drawing could be celebrated. Inspired by the workshop as well as RISD’s Big Draw event, CityArts decided to plan our own BIG DRAW: SOUTH SIDE event focusing on the freedom and openness of drawing for artists of every age. Myself, intern Anneke Reich and CityArts students from this summer’s special Leadership Camp helped bring the event together! We wanted to bring the freedom back to children’s art and let the kids use only their imagination to make beautiful art. All of Providence was invited!
Lowe’s Home Improvement Stores donated large panels of wall coverings to draw on. A tiled bathroom panel was used to make an installation entitled “Drawing on the Bathroom Wall” which let the students do what they wished with dry erase markers. Other wall fixtures were primed and set outside for an outdoor mural and patterned wall fixtures were arranged on the gallery wall for a crayon drawing installation called “CRAYONS ON THE WALL” (which was something many parents [mine included] usually try to avoid at home).
Drawing boards and clip boards were arranged outside for free drawing and portrait sessions. Lines and clothespins were arranged on the lawn for a “Drawing Exchange” which allowed students to hang a finished drawing and exchange it for one that wasn’t their own. Students also mixed powdered chalk paint for a sidewalk art installation.
Raffles with exciting gifts of sunglasses, silly bands and jewelry were donated as well as TONS of free food!
Art supplies were generously donated by Lowe’s Home Improvement, Jerry’s Artarama Providence and Sax Arts & Crafts Sales Rep Paul Dillen.
Olivia Buntaine and B-Mor7 provided awesome musical entertainment
Food was provided by Crugnale Bakery, Au Bon Pain, Nice Slice, Baja Tex-Mex, Anneke Reich & the Finlandia Coop and J&J’s Candy Bar
Prizes were generously donated by Pie in the Sky, Details and Kathleen McAreavey
Special thanks to volunteers Bethany Allard, Michael Coutts, Max Kennedy, Amelia Mitter-Burke, Heather Freedman and CityArts Education Director Adrienne Gagnon and Executive Director Barbara Wong who gave Anneke and I the freedom as well as the back up to host such a successful event!
