“It is time” for a #TBT! In 2014, Natasha from Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital transported us to Pride Rock and reminded us that we are all connected. “It’s the circle of life and it moves us all!” @DisneyLionKing

CALL TO ARTISTS: Deadline May 15

ArtWorks welcomes established, emerging and young artists to donate 10 x 10 inch unframed works on paper (or smaller) for our first-ever Square Fair Benefit on June 6. Artwork donations directly support our mission to bring creative expression to children and young adults facing chronic and life-limiting illness and their families in our 50 hospital partners throughout New York and New Jersey. Find more information and submit artwork at: https://bit.ly/2H0RkFg

Last week, ArtWorks Teaching Artist Alyssa Monks began her first Teaching Artist Program at The Brooklyn Hospital Center where she will be working with children and their families in using color and simple imagery to share their feelings and thoughts through different projects and exercises utilizing crayons, paints and pastels. We are excited to see all the beautiful ways her artists express themselves!

On Monday, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held for Manhattan’s new art cultural center, The Shed, which is set to open to the public this Friday, April 5th. The 200,000 square foot center features a telescoping shell that will host exhibitions, lectures and events related to the performing and visual arts. First on the list is none other than Icelandic singer-songwriter, Björk. It is only fitting that we use Young Artist Nicole’s (2009) swan piece as we send our best wishes to this new and extraordinary addition to New York’s cultural landscapes. Artwork by Nicole, age 8. 

Happy Birthday Ed Heck! Ed has been actively involved with ArtWorks since 2002, most notably as the exclusive designer of ArtWorks’ Art Carts that are filled with craft materials to encourage young patients’ artistic expression. Today more than 25 hospitals throughout New York and New Jersey feature the fresh, colorful and engaging carts that brighten their halls and the rooms of countless young patients. We are so proud to work with Ed and today we hope he has a wonderful birthday on behalf of all of our Young Artists! Pictured: Ed with the ArtWorks Staff and The Cohain Family. 

Wishing a very Happy Birthday to ArtWorks Board Chair and Founding Board Member, David Kaufthal. Your dedication and support is invaluable and enables us to bring arts programming to over 20,000 children facing illness in New York and New Jersey each year. Thank you for your trust and leadership. We hope you have a most wonderful day!

Artwork by Victoria, age 9, from Northwell Children’s Hospital (2010). 

ArtWorks Teaching Artist, Steven Hazlett loves working with the Young Artists at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital. Photographic inspiration is all around with an abundance of colorful beads, buttons and other materials, as well as ocean friends in the hospital’s aquarium. Image: Steven Hazlett with some special Young Artists and Recreational Therapist, Julie Mayers. 

ArtWorks is grateful to partner with hospitals and healthcare facilities that rely on #CreativeArtsTherapists to help their patients explore their feelings through art and music. We love it even more when we get to see their collaborations with Young Artists come to life. Check out Music Therapists, James Maxson and Kristen O’Grady from Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center with Young Artists Oliver and Stephanie at ArtWorks’ Express Yourself 2018.

“A Different World” by ArtWorks Young Artist Lara, age 10, from The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital has found common ground with pop artist Andy Warhol. Much like Warhol, Lara uses familiar icons of contemporary life in her artwork to express her own view of our world. “Andy Warhol—From A to B and Back Again” is on view at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York through March 31, 2019.