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Every day Museum Educator Audrey Jacobs is dreaming up new, innovative ways to connect students with Native artists, as a path to exploring their own creativity. And while distance learning continues, she knew it was even more important to provide students with activities to get them away from their screens and into the world of art. Below, Audrey explains how that realization led her to create take-home art kits for youth on the reservation.
“When the pandemic forced us all to shift everything we were doing, like most educators, I initially focused on all-digital distance learning. But as time went by, I worried more and more about those who weren’t being served by online efforts. Some kids here can't access our videos easily with their internet; many are getting too much screen time with distance learning and social activities and others don’t have art supplies featured in our Art At Home videos.
Our programming centers on connecting artists, artworks, and art supplies with young people. I saw many museums putting together art kits and thought that might be a way to make all three connections with young people here on Pine Ridge. I asked artists to contribute pages to our mini sketchbook and I created activities based on our collection.
SEE THE FULL SKETCHBOOK
Since we had the sketchbook printed in black and white, we decided to draw on every kid's delight of stickers and had four of our artworks, featured in the sketchbook, made into full color stickers for the kits. Kids can explore many possible collage projects with the colorful papers and glue stick.
I learned how to use a die cut printer to make stencils of shapes found in the artwork so the wee artists can practice the design concepts of pattern and repetition. And we packed in one ounce of non-drying clay as a way to prompt kids to work on their modeling skills or even create claymations!
We hope kids who receive these kits will want to share their creations with us and the wider community on social media with the hashtag #RCArtAtHome.”
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