Though many summer camps may have been closed due to COVID-19, the Georgia Museum of Art’s education department has been busy creating art kits for local students. The museum has created and distributed 1,800 kits this summer. That amount is projected to reach a total of 2,600 kits by the end of July. These homemade art projects provide creative outlets for disadvantaged students in grades K-12 who rely on the Clarke County School District (CCSD) meal-distribution sites during the pandemic.
“The kits include art materials, information on a work of art in our collection, close looking questions about the art and an artmaking prompt and directions,” said Emily Hogrefe-Ribeiro, the museum’s assistant curator of education. “We try to include fun supplies that students wouldn’t normally have access to and that can be reused so it’s not just a one-off activity.”
Thanks to the support of the Material Culture and Arts Foundation, the museum has recently created 300 face jug kits. These kits are reminiscent of the jug faces in our permanent collection. These works of art originated in West Africa and became popular in the southern U.S., as Blacks created the jugs to pay homage to African ancestry and traditions. They were also used to preserve food.
“MCAF started the Art for Kids bags last summer with distribution thru ORAC (Oconee Resource Area Council),” said Mary Lillie Chamberlain, president of MCAF. “These are the children that receive food bags each week during the summer. We decided to continue this project this summer because of the pandemic and limited access for children to experience art. Art is for everyone and can be appreciated by all ages. We hope these bags bring a little happy experience for each child.”
Students will also be able to create magic carpets by using yarn, crayons and paper. This art project, created by the Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation, mimics woven tapestries and allows students to express themselves by incorporating colorful patterns, symbols and designs.
These kits help build a connection between the museum and communities that many not know about the educational activities the museum offers, or may not be able to frequent the museum as much as they’d like.
“It feels very meaningful to be able to provide something for so many kids in the Athens community — especially BIPOC students who don’t necessarily have a relationship with the museum,” said Hogrefe-Ribeiro.
The art kits were given out at CCSD meal-distribution sites and ORAC.
Authored by:
Candice Lawrence
