Education is making moves at the Dixon!

Hello all!

My name is Margarita Sandino; I am the curator of education here at the Dixon and a first time blogger. I hope that through this media we will be able to communicate, share ideas and talk about upcoming programs. I would love to know what your experiences are here at the Dixon, or with our outreach programs. Please tell me how we can better serve you, your family and your students, and keep in mind that most of our programs have been created as a result of your feedback.  If you have a great idea, a comment or a suggestion we will take it very seriously. Share please! msandino@dixon.org.

The past month has been full of farewells and hellos at the Dixon’s education department. Our Art to Grow program said goodbye to Sarah Hall, coordinator and instructor for the program for over three years. Sarah’s creativity and eagerness to share the arts reached over 50, 000 students in the area! We wish her the best in her new life and we are certain that she will remain part of the Dixon family. Good Luck Sarah!

From left to right: Erica McCarrens, Whitney Stem, Margarita Sandino and Sarah is the one with the red bow!

And so, it is with great joy that we greet Bryony Petch our new Art to Grow coordinator. She comes to us from England with a double major in Education and Sociology from the Newcastle University and a Postgraduate Certificate in Elementary Education from the Northumbria University in the UK. She has taught students all ages and has a natural talent for the arts. Bryony has also been volunteering at the Dixon for the past year and a half, helping us with all our education programs. We are confident that she will bring much creativity and enthusiasm to our outreach program. Welcome Bryony!

 Here are a few things that we are working on that I thought you might like.

Spring is still keeping us busy, but, there is no time to waste. Summer is coming quickly and we are already bringing out the sun block and the slip n’ slides!  For those of you who like to plan ahead and are already looking for a fun but educational summer camp, we have just the thing! Paint it! Plant it! Paris! Summer camp is now accepting children ages 6 to 10. We will be offering camp for two weeks, so if you can’t make it to the first you can always sign them up for the next. We are, of course, designing the camp to complement the beautiful exhibition that opens June 26, Jean-Louis Forain: La Comédie Parisienne. Oui, oui, a very French camp experience with great art projects and gardening opportunities. What kid doesn’t like to get messy with paint or dirt? Ok, I guess a few don’t like it, but if your youngster enjoys it, bring him/her over! You will find more information and details here. 

I also wanted to tell you about a new adult program that launches this coming Monday, April 25^th, Reflections Through Art. The Dixon’s Alzheimer’s art program, inspired by the Meet Me at MOMA Alzheimer’s Project, is offered to individuals with dementia and their caregivers. Lead by licensed art therapist Catherine Harris, the monthly session will encourage participants to discuss themes and different artists during an interactive tour in the galleries. At the end of the session there will be time for social engagement and hands-on activities. We offer the class on Mondays, when the museum is closed to the public; we open some galleries just for this group. It really is a great opportunity to see works of art in a peaceful and quiet environment. So, if you have a friend or family member that is in the early to middle stages of dementia, loves art and would like to see beautiful things, sign them up today for this class. Click here for more details

I am looking forward to my next blog entry. Until next time!

Margarita Sandino