Join MASS MoCA Museum Educators for a series of free workshops for all ages during school break, February 16-20! Workshops will take place in Kidspace at 11am and 1pm every day, and each will focus on a different art medium and process. Come be inspired, learn something new, and make a project to take home! The ArtBar will also be open for drop-in art-making throughout the day.

RSVP encouraged but not required. (Note: Some workshops may be capped based on attendance, RSVPs will be honored before walk-ups.) Workshops are open to all ages, however younger children may need support from guardians. All children must be accompanied by an adult in Kidspace.

Monday, February 16: Declaration Project with Lara Downes

Join renowned pianist and NPR host Lara Downes for a workshop exploring intergenerational perspectives, hopes, and wishes for our country’s future. Following a brief piano performance in Kidspace by Lara, focusing on American music as an expression of our shared journeys and stories, attendees will have the opportunity to imagine the next chapter of our national story and contribute their ideas through writing and/or drawing. Contributions will be included as part of Lara’s national Declaration Project, which will culminate in a performance later this year.

Tuesday, February 17: Storybook Puppets with Beth Davis

Rooted in MASS MoCA’s commitment to the performing arts, this workshop will explore puppetry as a narrative art form. Focused on the children’s book The Cow Buzzed, attendees will learn how to tell a story through puppetry, design their own barnyard animal puppet, and help bring the story to life through a brief performance as a narrator reads the book. 

Wednesday, February 18: Developing a Cartoon Character with Heidi Whitus 

Sparked by the influence of cartoon characters in Vincent Valdez’s works, this workshop introduces the fundamentals of character design and concept development. Participants will explore how artists use visual storytelling to create expressive characters, while reflecting on what makes their favorite characters unique as they design their own original cartoons. 

Thursday, February 19: Reductive Sculpture with Rebecca Cuscaden Marvin

Drawing inspiration from the marble works of Louise Bourgeois, this workshop will teach participants the technique of reductive sculpting, in which the artist removes material from a larger block to reveal the final form. Attendees will learn more about this approach to sculpting, its history and use in contemporary art, and will have the opportunity to create a sculpture of their own to take home.

Friday, February 20: Pointillism Drawing with Donald Jackson

Inspired by Sol LeWitt’s process of layering color and impact of historical painting techniques on contemporary artists, this workshop will explore the basics of color theory and the history of pointillism through drawing. Attendees will create a drawing that features all of the colors of the rainbow and a simple design using only tiny dots of primary colors to compose it.