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Art in the Barn: Experience the world of Alma Thomas Paintings

Art in the Barn: Storytime and hands-on art project for Pre-schoolers  is a new drop-in workshop for preschoolers at Walt Whitman Birthplace. Taught by Lena Massari Sawyer, former Museum Educator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  Come and join us every week awe read various stories including the award-winning Caldecott books.  Learn about artists of the past and create your own artwork.

March 23, 2024
Experience the world of Alma Thomas Paintings
Shapes, color and movement in art will be discussed.  “I Spy Shapes” in Art by Lucy Micklethwait will be explored.

Members: $13  Non Members: $15
(Per workshop, tickets can be purchased at the door)

See Winter Calendar below.

Picture Books are a crucial tool for developing a child’s literacy and language skills in their early years.  They help build self-confidence as the child learns to read through visual thinking. The children will read a book, then tell their own story through collage and other multimedia materials. They will look at the different elements of art such as changing perspective, scale, as well as multiple points of view through drawing and using collage materials. In addition, each child will be given a small plastic magnifying glass to explore a tinker box filled with objects from nature such as seashells, rocks, etc.

Lena Massari Sawyer has been an educator for over 25 years. She taught Art History and Studio Art to children for over two decades at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  While at the Met, she specialized in early childhood education, creating and teaching numerous art history and children’s literature classes.   Lena has been a long-time resident of Long Island. She teaches art history, painting and other multimedia classes both at the Birthplace at the Little Studio in Northport Village.  Lena holds a bachelor’s degree in art history and performed her graduate studies in Museum Education at New York University.

 


 

Art in the Barn Winter Calendar

February 3rdBlack History Month
A look at Royal Art of Benin from Metropolitan Museum of Art, with a reading of the 2011 Caldecott winner: “Dave the Potter Artist, Poet, Slave” by Laban C. Hill and Bryan Collier.  Project: drawing and clay.

February 10th –  Celebrate the Chinese New Year with Us!
Learn about Chinese scroll painting, paint will calligraphy brushes and read about your own personal Chinese zodiac in “The Legend of the Chinese Dragon” by M. Sellier, C. Louis, W. Fei.

February 17th –  Come and explore Romare Bearden’s groundbreaking collage celebrating African American Urban life in “The Block”
A multimedia art project will follow and Barney Saltzberg fun book “Beautiful OOPS” will be enjoyed.

February 24th – Travel with us to Africa and learn about African Masks!
Class will end with the book “Me… Jane” by Patrick McDonnell about Jane Goodall, the English Anthropologist and “Can you Spot the Leopard” by C Stelzig.  Bring your favorite stuff animal to class!

March 2nd – Women’s History Month
Learn how to paint large flowers like Georgia O’ Keefe did.   “My Name is Georgia: A Portrait” by Jeanette Winter will be read.

March 9th – Explore the work of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama
We will be painting and reading “From Here to Infinity” by S. Suzuki and E. Weinstein.

March 16th – Come celebrate the color GREEN with us for Saint Patrick’s Day!
We will be reading the book “Green” by Laura V. Seeger and exploring Henri Rousseau’s very green Jungle paintings.  A magical surprise will follow.

March 23rd – Experience the world of Alma Thomas Paintings
Shapes, color and movement in art will be discussed.  “I Spy Shapes” in Art by Lucy Micklethwait will be explored.

March 30th – No class

Date: Saturday, March 23, 2024
Start Time: 11:00 am EST
Members: $13  Non Members: $15

Art in the Barn: Saint Patrick’s Day

Art in the Barn: Storytime and hands-on art project for Pre-schoolers  is a new drop-in workshop for preschoolers at Walt Whitman Birthplace. Taught by Lena Massari Sawyer, former Museum Educator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  Come and join us every week awe read various stories including the award-winning Caldecott books.  Learn about artists of the past and create your own artwork.

March 16, 2024
Come celebrate the color GREEN with us for Saint Patrick’s Day!
We will be reading the book “Green” by Laura V. Seeger and exploring Henri Rousseau’s very green Jungle paintings.  A magical surprise will follow.

Members: $13  Non Members: $15
(Per workshop, tickets can be purchased at the door)

See Winter Calendar below.

Picture Books are a crucial tool for developing a child’s literacy and language skills in their early years.  They help build self-confidence as the child learns to read through visual thinking. The children will read a book, then tell their own story through collage and other multimedia materials. They will look at the different elements of art such as changing perspective, scale, as well as multiple points of view through drawing and using collage materials. In addition, each child will be given a small plastic magnifying glass to explore a tinker box filled with objects from nature such as seashells, rocks, etc.

Lena Massari Sawyer has been an educator for over 25 years. She taught Art History and Studio Art to children for over two decades at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  While at the Met, she specialized in early childhood education, creating and teaching numerous art history and children’s literature classes.   Lena has been a long-time resident of Long Island. She teaches art history, painting and other multimedia classes both at the Birthplace at the Little Studio in Northport Village.  Lena holds a bachelor’s degree in art history and performed her graduate studies in Museum Education at New York University.

 


 

Art in the Barn Winter Calendar

February 3rdBlack History Month
A look at Royal Art of Benin from Metropolitan Museum of Art, with a reading of the 2011 Caldecott winner: “Dave the Potter Artist, Poet, Slave” by Laban C. Hill and Bryan Collier.  Project: drawing and clay.

February 10th –  Celebrate the Chinese New Year with Us!
Learn about Chinese scroll painting, paint will calligraphy brushes and read about your own personal Chinese zodiac in “The Legend of the Chinese Dragon” by M. Sellier, C. Louis, W. Fei.

February 17th –  Come and explore Romare Bearden’s groundbreaking collage celebrating African American Urban life in “The Block”
A multimedia art project will follow and Barney Saltzberg fun book “Beautiful OOPS” will be enjoyed.

February 24th – Travel with us to Africa and learn about African Masks!
Class will end with the book “Me… Jane” by Patrick McDonnell about Jane Goodall, the English Anthropologist and “Can you Spot the Leopard” by C Stelzig.  Bring your favorite stuff animal to class!

March 2nd – Women’s History Month
Learn how to paint large flowers like Georgia O’ Keefe did.   “My Name is Georgia: A Portrait” by Jeanette Winter will be read.

March 9th – Explore the work of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama
We will be painting and reading “From Here to Infinity” by S. Suzuki and E. Weinstein.

March 16th – Come celebrate the color GREEN with us for Saint Patrick’s Day!
We will be reading the book “Green” by Laura V. Seeger and exploring Henri Rousseau’s very green Jungle paintings.  A magical surprise will follow.

March 23rd – Experience the world of Alma Thomas Paintings
Shapes, color and movement in art will be discussed.  “I Spy Shapes” in Art by Lucy Micklethwait will be explored.

March 30th – No class

Date: Saturday, March 16, 2024
Start Time: 11:00 am EST
Members: $13  Non Members: $15

POETS BUILDING BRIDGES Series 3, March 9, 2024 – Oklahoma, St Augustine FL, Swiss Poets

George Wallace and Walt Whitman Birthplace proudly present season three of POETS BUILDING BRIDGES: A TRIANGULATION PROJECT, inaugurated in March 2022 with the purpose of enhancing dialogue between communities of writers across the US and internationally. Based on a shared small-group experience, these Saturday zoom sessions engage three distinct and well defined communities of poets with each other to share work and foster further interaction. In Season Three, POETS BUILDING BRIDGES will build on that experience, triangulating national and international groups based not only on location but additionally offering key small press publications an opportunity to form a participating group.

Live on zoom. archived on Youtube. For Season 2 visit our YouTube Channel >>

 


Oklahoma:  Ben Myers  |  Julie Chappell  |  Roxana Caszan  |  Paul Austin

Ben Myers is a former poet laureate of Oklahoma and is the author of four books of poetry, including The Family Book of Martyrs (Lamar University Literary Press, 2023). His poems have appeared in Image, The Yale Review, Rattle, Nimrod, and many other journals. He teaches at Oklahoma Baptist University, where he directs the great books honors program.”


Roxana Cazan is the author of two poetry books, The Accident of Birth (Main Street Rag, 2017) and Tethered to the Unexpected (Alien Buddha Press, 2022). She co-edited Voices on the Move: An Anthology by and about Refugees (Solis Press, 2020) and Voices in the Pandemic (Solis Press, 2023). Roxana is a first-generation Romanian American poet.


Julie Chappell published six books of scholarship and a collection of her original poetry, Faultlines: One Woman’s Shifting Boundaries (Village Books Press, 2013). , in her former life as a professor of medieval and early modern English literature and creative writing,  Since retiring, she has had two more collections of poetry and two collections of short stories published—Mad Habits of a Life (Lamar University Literary Press, 2019), As I Pirouette Away (Turning Plow Press, 2021), Homecoming and Other Mythic Tales (Fine Dog Press, 2021), and Contrary Qualities of Elements (Fine Dog Press, 2023).


Paul Austin’s book Spontaneous Behavior, the Art and Craft of Acting, was published by Turning Plow Press, in October, 2022. his collection of poetry “Notes on Hard Times” was published by Village Books Press. His poems have been included in Speak Your Mind, the 2019 anthology of Woody Guthrie Poets Bull Buffalo and Indian Paintbrush, an anthology of Oklahoma poetry, Behind the mask: Haiku in the Time of Covid-19, Jerry Jazz Musician, and LEVEL Land: poems for and about the I-35 corridor. Late Night Conspiracies, a collection of his writings was performed with jazz ensemble at New York’s Ensemble Studio Theatre.


 

St. Augustine FL:   Chris Bodor  |  Ben Atkinson  |  Cheyenne Leahy  |  Rob Waldner  

Chris Bodor is a first generation American. He was born in Connecticut to an English mother and a Hungarian father. During the past three decades, his poems have appeared in many independent, small, and micro-press publications, such as the Lummox Journal, Live Nude Poems, and New Generation Beats-2022 Anthology. He is currently serving a two-year term as the Florida State Beat Poem Laureate (2023-2025). Bodor is the Editor-In-Chief of the international literary journal A.C. PAPA, which stands for Ancient City Poets, Authors, Photographers, and Artists.


Ben Atkinson is an assistant professor of natural sciences at Flagler College. He has been a featured reader for the JaxByJax Literary Arts Festival, Sing Out Loud Festival, and Southeast Sister Cities Reading Tour. Ben’s debut poetry collection, Spider Lightning was published by Hidden Owl in 2019.


Cheyenne B. Koth is a writer, public historian, and artist. She was born and raised in the South Carolina Lowcountry. She is a graduate of Flagler College, and has been lucky enough to braid her passion for storytelling into her work in the History field through writing and interpretation.


Rob Waldner has been a dedicated poet and writer since childhood.  His life experiences have largely shaped his literary works. Robert has been an active member of Ancient City Poets since 2013 and has led many of the monthly open mics. For the past seven years he has actively written articles for multiple Northeast Florida publications. You can also find his poetry and essays in various literary anthologies.


 

Swiss Poets: Lucilla Trapazzo  |  Andrea Grieder  |  Bes Camaj  |  Ali Al-Shalah

Lucilla Trapazzo (Switzerland/Italy) is a multi-awarded poet, translator, artist, performer. Author of six books of poetry. After years spent abroad (Germany, Brussels, NYC, Washington DC) she now lives in Zurich. Supporter of human rights and Earth, her feminine point of view is reflected in many of her works.


Ali Al-Shalah was born in Babylon, Iraq, educated at University of Baghdad, Yarmouk University, Jordan, 1996 and University of Bern, Switzerland. He has published five poetry collections and five books on criticism, and is the Founder and President of many cultural institutions, events and festivals including the Swiss Arab Cultural Center in 1995, the Al-Mutanabbi International Cultural Festival / Switzerland and the Babylon Festival for International Cultures and Arts. In 2010 he was Chairman of the Culture and Media Committee in the Iraqi Parliament 2010, and served as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees and President of the Iraqi Media Network 2014-2018.


Bes Camaj was born in Peja, Kosove, studied at University of Prishtina, as well as in Zagreb, and Lausanne Switzerland, where he has lived since 1989. He is founder of Association of Albanian Writers in Switzerland. Author of five volumes of poetry, he began writing poetry at the age of 12.


Andrea Grieder is a poet and social anthropologist. She is the founder of Transpoesis, an organization based in Rwanda with the aim to empower through poetry. Originally from Switzerland, she has a Ph.D. from the University of Zurich and Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, Paris. Andrea is currently Director of in Artes, an art therapy institute in Zurich.


 

 

Support Our Literacy Programs >>

POETS BUILDING BRIDGES is produced by Poetrybay Productions for the Walt Whitman Birthplace.

Date: Saturday, March 9, 2024
Start Time: 12:00 pm EST

Art in the Barn: Explore the work of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama

Art in the Barn: Storytime and hands-on art project for Pre-schoolers  is a new drop-in workshop for preschoolers at Walt Whitman Birthplace. Taught by Lena Massari Sawyer, former Museum Educator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  Come and join us every week awe read various stories including the award-winning Caldecott books.  Learn about artists of the past and create your own artwork.

March 9, 2024
Explore the work of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama
We will be painting and reading “From Here to Infinity” by S. Suzuki and E. Weinstein.

Members: $13  Non Members: $15
(Per workshop, tickets can be purchased at the door)

See Winter Calendar below.

Picture Books are a crucial tool for developing a child’s literacy and language skills in their early years.  They help build self-confidence as the child learns to read through visual thinking. The children will read a book, then tell their own story through collage and other multimedia materials. They will look at the different elements of art such as changing perspective, scale, as well as multiple points of view through drawing and using collage materials. In addition, each child will be given a small plastic magnifying glass to explore a tinker box filled with objects from nature such as seashells, rocks, etc.

Lena Massari Sawyer has been an educator for over 25 years. She taught Art History and Studio Art to children for over two decades at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  While at the Met, she specialized in early childhood education, creating and teaching numerous art history and children’s literature classes.   Lena has been a long-time resident of Long Island. She teaches art history, painting and other multimedia classes both at the Birthplace at the Little Studio in Northport Village.  Lena holds a bachelor’s degree in art history and performed her graduate studies in Museum Education at New York University.

 


 

Art in the Barn Winter Calendar

February 3rdBlack History Month
A look at Royal Art of Benin from Metropolitan Museum of Art, with a reading of the 2011 Caldecott winner: “Dave the Potter Artist, Poet, Slave” by Laban C. Hill and Bryan Collier.  Project: drawing and clay.

February 10th –  Celebrate the Chinese New Year with Us!
Learn about Chinese scroll painting, paint will calligraphy brushes and read about your own personal Chinese zodiac in “The Legend of the Chinese Dragon” by M. Sellier, C. Louis, W. Fei.

February 17th –  Come and explore Romare Bearden’s groundbreaking collage celebrating African American Urban life in “The Block”
A multimedia art project will follow and Barney Saltzberg fun book “Beautiful OOPS” will be enjoyed.

February 24th – Travel with us to Africa and learn about African Masks!
Class will end with the book “Me… Jane” by Patrick McDonnell about Jane Goodall, the English Anthropologist and “Can you Spot the Leopard” by C Stelzig.  Bring your favorite stuff animal to class!

March 2nd – Women’s History Month
Learn how to paint large flowers like Georgia O’ Keefe did.   “My Name is Georgia: A Portrait” by Jeanette Winter will be read.

March 9th – Explore the work of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama
We will be painting and reading “From Here to Infinity” by S. Suzuki and E. Weinstein.

March 16th – Come celebrate the color GREEN with us for Saint Patrick’s Day!
We will be reading the book “Green” by Laura V. Seeger and exploring Henri Rousseau’s very green Jungle paintings.  A magical surprise will follow.

March 23rd – Experience the world of Alma Thomas Paintings
Shapes, color and movement in art will be discussed.  “I Spy Shapes” in Art by Lucy Micklethwait will be explored.

March 30th – No class

Date: Saturday, March 9, 2024
Start Time: 11:00 am EST
Members: $13  Non Members: $15

Art in the Barn: Women’s History Month

Art in the Barn: Storytime and hands-on art project for Pre-schoolers  is a new drop-in workshop for preschoolers at Walt Whitman Birthplace. Taught by Lena Massari Sawyer, former Museum Educator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  Come and join us every week awe read various stories including the award-winning Caldecott books.  Learn about artists of the past and create your own artwork.

March 2, 2024
Women’s History Month
Learn how to paint large flowers like Georgia O’ Keefe did.   “My Name is Georgia: A Portrait” by Jeanette Winter will be read.

Members: $13  Non Members: $15
(Per workshop, admission can be paid at the door, or you can register in advance by purchasing admission at https://www.waltwhitman.org/product/a-book-then-we-look/)

See Winter Calendar below.

Picture Books are a crucial tool for developing a child’s literacy and language skills in their early years.  They help build self-confidence as the child learns to read through visual thinking. The children will read a book, then tell their own story through collage and other multimedia materials. They will look at the different elements of art such as changing perspective, scale, as well as multiple points of view through drawing and using collage materials. In addition, each child will be given a small plastic magnifying glass to explore a tinker box filled with objects from nature such as seashells, rocks, etc.

Lena Massari Sawyer has been an educator for over 25 years. She taught Art History and Studio Art to children for over two decades at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  While at the Met, she specialized in early childhood education, creating and teaching numerous art history and children’s literature classes.   Lena has been a long-time resident of Long Island. She teaches art history, painting and other multimedia classes both at the Birthplace at the Little Studio in Northport Village.  Lena holds a bachelor’s degree in art history and performed her graduate studies in Museum Education at New York University.

 


 

Art in the Barn Winter Calendar

February 3rdBlack History Month
A look at Royal Art of Benin from Metropolitan Museum of Art, with a reading of the 2011 Caldecott winner: “Dave the Potter Artist, Poet, Slave” by Laban C. Hill and Bryan Collier.  Project: drawing and clay.

February 10th –  Celebrate the Chinese New Year with Us!
Learn about Chinese scroll painting, paint will calligraphy brushes and read about your own personal Chinese zodiac in “The Legend of the Chinese Dragon” by M. Sellier, C. Louis, W. Fei.

February 17th –  Come and explore Romare Bearden’s groundbreaking collage celebrating African American Urban life in “The Block”
A multimedia art project will follow and Barney Saltzberg fun book “Beautiful OOPS” will be enjoyed.

February 24th – Travel with us to Africa and learn about African Masks!
Class will end with the book “Me… Jane” by Patrick McDonnell about Jane Goodall, the English Anthropologist and “Can you Spot the Leopard” by C Stelzig.  Bring your favorite stuff animal to class!

March 2nd – Women’s History Month
Learn how to paint large flowers like Georgia O’ Keefe did.   “My Name is Georgia: A Portrait” by Jeanette Winter will be read.

March 9th – Explore the work of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama
We will be painting and reading “From Here to Infinity” by S. Suzuki and E. Weinstein.

March 16th – Come celebrate the color GREEN with us for Saint Patrick’s Day!
We will be reading the book “Green” by Laura V. Seeger and exploring Henri Rousseau’s very green Jungle paintings.  A magical surprise will follow.

March 23rd – Experience the world of Alma Thomas Paintings
Shapes, color and movement in art will be discussed.  “I Spy Shapes” in Art by Lucy Micklethwait will be explored.

March 30th – No class

Date: Saturday, March 2, 2024
Start Time: 11:00 am EST

Cost: $ 8, 10, 13, 15, 54, 81

Walking With Whitman: Poetry in Performance – Howie Faerstein, Robert Savino, Linda Sussman

Walt Whitman Birthplace Association (WWBA) presents  Walking With Whitman: Poetry in Performance, hosted by Writer-in-Residence George Wallace. The signature series, now in its 14th season, continues to bring the most intriguing figures in contemporary literature on the national scene paired with local poets on the Walt Whitman Stage.

Friday, March 1st, Walking With Whitman will featured poets Howie Faerstein and Robert Savino. The evening also featured live music by Singer-Songwriter Linda Sussman.

Refreshments served at 6:30, music and readings start at 7:00.
There is a $10 entry fee for this event that will be collected at the door. (No registration is required)

 

 


 

Howie Faerstein is the author of 5 books: Play a Song on the Drums he said, Out of Order, (Main Street Press) & two full-length collections: Dreaming of the Rain in BrooklynandGoogootz and Other Poems, published by Press 53. STAY, a recent collection (Human Error Publishing) was published in February 2023. His poetry & reviews can be found in numerous journals including Great River Review, Nimrod, Off the Coast, Rattle, Cutthroat, upstreet, Banyan Review, Nine Mile, Verse Daily, Nixes Mate, On the Seawall, Hole in the Head Review, Gyroscope, Peacock Journal, & Connotation. He’s read at venues throughout New England, the Mid-Atlantic & the Southwest. Howie also facilitates a weekly poetry discussion group through the Northampton, MA Forbes Library. A multiple Pushcart nominee, Cutthroat Discovery Poet, & recipient of the NOVA 2022 poetry prize, he’s co-poetry editor of Cutthroat & lives in Florence, MA. https://howiefaerstein.com

 


Robert Savino (born Jamaica, NY) is a native Long Island poet, Suffolk County Poet Laureate 2015-2017, Bards Laureate 2019-2021, Board Member at the Walt Whitman Birthplace and at the Long Island Poetry & Literature Repository Center. He is the winner of the 2008 Oberon Poetry Prize, Association of Italian American Educators – Cristoforo Colombo Award for Literary Leadership (2019), and Town of Islip Italian American Heritage Award for Visual & Performing Arts – in Literature (2019). Robert was first inspired by Blake and Whitman in the sixties. His poetry has been widely published in journals, anthologies and online, including The Haight Ashbury Literary JournalLong Island QuarterlyMobius, Negative CapabilityThe North American Review and Sport Literate; and written for art and music. His poem, “October’s Opal,” was composed by Yung Shen Hsaio as a four-instrument musical ensemble piece and presented at the 2017 International Rostrum of Composers and Conservatorio Vincenzo Bellini, Palermo, Italy. He is co-editor of two bilingual collections of Italian Americans Poets, No Distance Between Us. His books include fireballs of an illuminated scarecrowInside a Turtle Shell and I’m Not the Only One Here. He lives in West Islip, NY, with his wife, Sabrina and enjoys the role of poet and mentor.

 


Linda Sussman (LindaSussman.com) is an award-winning singer-songwriter whose versatile vocals and guitar style cross boundaries of alternative-folk and blues. Her music, which has ranked #1 on the Roots Music Report’s weekly Alternative Folk Album Chart, spans universal topics from heartache and triumphs to calls for social justice and can be heard on radio programs in both the US and abroad. The many stages she has played range from the iconic New York City venue The Bitter End to Radio Bean in Burlington, VT. Over the past five years, Linda has released four full-length albums and several singles, all of which are available on Spotify, iTunes, Amazon, YouTube, etc.

 


 

Make a meaningful gift to support our poetry programs:  https://www.paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/2197152

 

This program is made possible with funds from Poets and Writers, The Claire Friedlander Family Foundation, NY State Parks, Suffolk County, Town of Huntington, and NYS Council on the Arts through Huntington Arts Council.

Date: Friday, March 1, 2024
Start Time: 7:00 pm EST
$10 entry fee collected at the door

2024 Student Poetry Contest

WWBA 2024 Student Poetry Contest is now open!
This year’s theme is ‘Song of the Open Road,’ first published in the second edition of Leaves of Grass in 1856. It celebrates the road as a space where people can come together in a meaningful way, where status and social strata matter less.  In 30 lines or less, use your poetic voice and Whitman’s literary device of free verse to show us your road. Where will you go? Whom will you see? What will you learn during your adventure?  Use your five senses to describe your environment. Why did you choose this road? Describe the obstacles you may encounter and the helpers you meet along the way. 
Submission Deadline:  Monday, February 26, 2024


For guidelines and submission form visit
 https://www.waltwhitman.org/studentpoetrycontest/

Date: Monday, February 26, 2024

Art in the Barn: Travel with us to Africa and learn about African Masks!

Art in the Barn: Storytime and hands-on art project for Pre-schoolers  is a new drop-in workshop for preschoolers at Walt Whitman Birthplace. Taught by Lena Massari Sawyer, former Museum Educator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  Come and join us every week awe read various stories including the award-winning Caldecott books.  Learn about artists of the past and create your own artwork.

February 24, 2024
Travel with us to Africa and learn about African Masks!
Class will end with the book “Me… Jane” by Patrick McDonnell about Jane Goodall, the English Anthropologist and “Can you Spot the Leopard” by C Stelzig.  Bring your favorite stuff animal to class!

Members: $13  Non Members: $15
(Per workshop, tickets can be purchased at the door)

See Winter Calendar below.

Picture Books are a crucial tool for developing a child’s literacy and language skills in their early years.  They help build self-confidence as the child learns to read through visual thinking. The children will read a book, then tell their own story through collage and other multimedia materials. They will look at the different elements of art such as changing perspective, scale, as well as multiple points of view through drawing and using collage materials. In addition, each child will be given a small plastic magnifying glass to explore a tinker box filled with objects from nature such as seashells, rocks, etc.

Lena Massari Sawyer has been an educator for over 25 years. She taught Art History and Studio Art to children for over two decades at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  While at the Met, she specialized in early childhood education, creating and teaching numerous art history and children’s literature classes.   Lena has been a long-time resident of Long Island. She teaches art history, painting and other multimedia classes both at the Birthplace at the Little Studio in Northport Village.  Lena holds a bachelor’s degree in art history and performed her graduate studies in Museum Education at New York University.

 


 

Art in the Barn Winter Calendar

February 3rdBlack History Month
A look at Royal Art of Benin from Metropolitan Museum of Art, with a reading of the 2011 Caldecott winner: “Dave the Potter Artist, Poet, Slave” by Laban C. Hill and Bryan Collier.  Project: drawing and clay.

February 10th –  Celebrate the Chinese New Year with Us!
Learn about Chinese scroll painting, paint will calligraphy brushes and read about your own personal Chinese zodiac in “The Legend of the Chinese Dragon” by M. Sellier, C. Louis, W. Fei.

February 17th –  Come and explore Romare Bearden’s groundbreaking collage celebrating African American Urban life in “The Block”
A multimedia art project will follow and Barney Saltzberg fun book “Beautiful OOPS” will be enjoyed.

February 24th – Travel with us to Africa and learn about African Masks!
Class will end with the book “Me… Jane” by Patrick McDonnell about Jane Goodall, the English Anthropologist and “Can you Spot the Leopard” by C Stelzig.  Bring your favorite stuff animal to class!

March 2nd – Women’s History Month
Learn how to paint large flowers like Georgia O’ Keefe did.   “My Name is Georgia: A Portrait” by Jeanette Winter will be read.

March 9th – Explore the work of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama
We will be painting and reading “From Here to Infinity” by S. Suzuki and E. Weinstein.

March 16th – Come celebrate the color GREEN with us for Saint Patrick’s Day!
We will be reading the book “Green” by Laura V. Seeger and exploring Henri Rousseau’s very green Jungle paintings.  A magical surprise will follow.

March 23rd – Experience the world of Alma Thomas Paintings
Shapes, color and movement in art will be discussed.  “I Spy Shapes” in Art by Lucy Micklethwait will be explored.

March 30th – No class

Date: Saturday, February 24, 2024
Start Time: 11:00 am EST
Members: $13  Non Members: $15

Art in the Barn: Romare Bearden’s “The Block”

Art in the Barn: Storytime and hands-on art project for Pre-schoolers  is a new drop-in workshop for preschoolers at Walt Whitman Birthplace. Taught by Lena Massari Sawyer, former Museum Educator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  Come and join us every week awe read various stories including the award-winning Caldecott books.  Learn about artists of the past and create your own artwork.

February 17, 2024
Come and explore Romare Bearden’s groundbreaking collage celebrating African American Urban life in “The Block”
A multimedia art project will follow and Barney Saltzberg fun book “Beautiful OOPS” will be enjoyed.

Members: $13  Non Members: $15
(Per workshop, tickets can be purchased at the door)

See Winter Calendar below.

Picture Books are a crucial tool for developing a child’s literacy and language skills in their early years.  They help build self-confidence as the child learns to read through visual thinking. The children will read a book, then tell their own story through collage and other multimedia materials. They will look at the different elements of art such as changing perspective, scale, as well as multiple points of view through drawing and using collage materials. In addition, each child will be given a small plastic magnifying glass to explore a tinker box filled with objects from nature such as seashells, rocks, etc.

Lena Massari Sawyer has been an educator for over 25 years. She taught Art History and Studio Art to children for over two decades at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  While at the Met, she specialized in early childhood education, creating and teaching numerous art history and children’s literature classes.   Lena has been a long-time resident of Long Island. She teaches art history, painting and other multimedia classes both at the Birthplace at the Little Studio in Northport Village.  Lena holds a bachelor’s degree in art history and performed her graduate studies in Museum Education at New York University.

 


 

Art in the Barn Winter Calendar

February 3rdBlack History Month
A look at Royal Art of Benin from Metropolitan Museum of Art, with a reading of the 2011 Caldecott winner: “Dave the Potter Artist, Poet, Slave” by Laban C. Hill and Bryan Collier.  Project: drawing and clay.

February 10th –  Celebrate the Chinese New Year with Us!
Learn about Chinese scroll painting, paint will calligraphy brushes and read about your own personal Chinese zodiac in “The Legend of the Chinese Dragon” by M. Sellier, C. Louis, W. Fei.

February 17th –  Come and explore Romare Bearden’s groundbreaking collage celebrating African American Urban life in “The Block”
A multimedia art project will follow and Barney Saltzberg fun book “Beautiful OOPS” will be enjoyed.

February 24th – Travel with us to Africa and learn about African Masks!
Class will end with the book “Me… Jane” by Patrick McDonnell about Jane Goodall, the English Anthropologist and “Can you Spot the Leopard” by C Stelzig.  Bring your favorite stuff animal to class!

March 2nd – Women’s History Month
Learn how to paint large flowers like Georgia O’ Keefe did.   “My Name is Georgia: A Portrait” by Jeanette Winter will be read.

March 9th – Explore the work of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama
We will be painting and reading “From Here to Infinity” by S. Suzuki and E. Weinstein.

March 16th – Come celebrate the color GREEN with us for Saint Patrick’s Day!
We will be reading the book “Green” by Laura V. Seeger and exploring Henri Rousseau’s very green Jungle paintings.  A magical surprise will follow.

March 23rd – Experience the world of Alma Thomas Paintings
Shapes, color and movement in art will be discussed.  “I Spy Shapes” in Art by Lucy Micklethwait will be explored.

March 30th – No class

Date: Saturday, February 17, 2024
Start Time: 11:00 am EST
Members: $13  Non Members: $15