DuPage Children's Museum opens art gallery with display of students' work
Stop by the new Good Show! Gallery at the DuPage Children's Museum and you'll see artwork featuring human forms in bright colors with bold lines.
The work, reminiscent of Keith Haring's iconic pieces, was created by students at Nancy Hill Elementary School in Aurora though an arts-based program that carries out the museum's mission to foster creativity, thinking and problem-solving skills while providing children in the community with critical opportunities in the arts.
The museum's interdisciplinary arts specialist, Marcia MacRae, spent about a week visiting first- through fifth-grade Nancy Hill students in their art classes. MacRae introduced the students to Haring's art, emphasizing different elements of art, including the power and variety of lines. Haring's artwork was chosen for the project because his bold, bright, recognizable style resonates with children. Through their own artistic drawings inspired by Haring's style, students answered the question: How do you move?
“My students couldn't stop talking about the projects they completed in art class,” said Kari Grabske, third-grade teacher at Nancy Hill. “They had so much enthusiasm about the artwork and about seeing it up in a real museum.”
Students, teachers and families from Nancy Hill attended the opening of the Good Show! Gallery to see the children's Haring-inspired work displayed as the gallery's first exhibit. After viewing the students' artwork, families were invited to spend the evening in the museum playing and learning in each of the exhibit neighborhoods. The museum was open until 8 p.m. as part of the Family Fun Friday Night program.
Mark Trembacki, senior vice president-risk integration for Harris Bank, which sponsors the Good Show! Gallery and program, attended the grand opening, interacting with guests and learning about the students' different art projects. The sponsorship from Harris Bank allows DuPage Children's Museum to offer new opportunities to low-income children at Title I elementary schools in the area and lead them in creating artwork which will be publicly displayed in the museum.
“It's wonderful to see the children and their families full of excitement when they get the opportunity to see their artwork and visit the museum,” Trembacki said. “The sense of pride and enthusiasm the students receive from this project carries over into other areas of their lives and education. BMO Harris Bank is proud to support early learning through the Good Show! Gallery program.”
DuPage Children's Museum is committed to providing critical early-learning experiences for all children in the community regardless of any physical, social or economic barriers they may face. For information on the museum's programs, call (630) 637-8000 or visit dupagechildrensmuseum.org.