Why Kids Love Art
Listen to what Art in Action students say about why art is important to them.
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Our donors are passionate about Art in Action.
Become a donor today!
Art in Action is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
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Two recent national news articles about art provide a perfect  window into why Art in Action is so passionate about bringing visual arts experiences to students.
The first involves Pablo Picasso. Our second and fourth grade students study works by Picasso and are adept at analyzing both the formal and narrative elements in his paintings.
We provide art materials for the students to use as part of the programs at their school, but can't provide infrared technology that was used to uncover a hidden painting underneath Picasso's painting The Blue Room.
According to this CNN article, experts at the Phillips Collection found that under his painting, Picasso had done an earlier portrait of a bearded man in a completely different style than the final painting. Picasso worked quickly in his early years, testing out new ideas all the time and often repurposed his canvases since he wasn't making a lot of money at the time.
And that's a key skill that a program like Art in Action can give to a student...the ability to test ideas, to experiment with materials and to develop the creative process at their own speed. And as Declan says in our recent video, "You can make mistakes and then turn them into something great." Read more
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A Note of Thanks to Departing Board Members
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The success of Art in Action is due in no small part to the leadership of its Board of Directors. We thank three special friends who have been dedicated to this organization for many years and are leaving the board.
- Celia Walker has been on the Board since the organization was chartered as a nonprofit and has helped the program in ways too many to count. Most recently she served as Secretary of the Board and Chair of the Program Committee.
- Sally Porter joined the Board over four years ago and has been a vital member of the Development Committee. She has been a long time chair of the Friends of Art in Action... connecting art lovers with our work.
- Finally, Elizabeth Grover is stepping down after serving for two years as Board Chair (and six years on the Board) where she led the organization through its search for the first Executive Director to follow the organization's Founder, Judy Sleeth. Elizabeth served on the Development and Finance committees and is a vocal champion for our work.
We will deeply miss the leadership on the Board that these trustees provided but are grateful for their ongoing friendship. Thank you, Celia, Sally and Elizabeth.
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 We are pleased to have been chosen
as a nonprofit supported by
Genentech Gives Back Day, a company-wide initiative that raises money for charity and encourages employees to volunteer with local and national nonprofits. During the day we worked with over 60 volunteers who packed art materials and provided valuable marketing consultation. |
Welcome New Board Members
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We are excited to announce the newest members of our Board of Directors:
- Suzanne Kline is the Regional Investment Manager for Wells Fargo Private Bank in the Bay Area and recently relocated here from New York City where she was an enthusiastic supporter of arts education.
- Ruth Housenbold is a former manager from Bain & Company where she provided strategic advice to technology and financial service clients. Ruth has been a long time docent with Art in Action and a passionate supporter of the program.
- Laura Olson is a Senior Tax Advisor at Seiler, LLP and is a trustee with the CalCPA Foundation. In addition to her love of education, she brings significant financial expertise to the Board.
We look forward to working with all of them.
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Celebrating Student Creativity
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Nearly 100 students and their families, teachers, principals and
community members celebrated the
creativity and hard work of student artists from Willow Oaks School,
East Palo Alto Charter School, and Belle Haven School at the East Palo Alto Library on June 5th. We thank the Adobe Foundation, the Palo Alto Community Fund and the Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund for helping to underwrite the Art in Action Program at these schools.
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Art in Action: Not Just for Schools
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While the program is most often offered in schools, it is easy to implement in all kinds of environments like these:
Complete Senior Living, Redwood City, CA
The Side Porch Gallery, Biloxi, MS
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Look What Volunteers Can Do
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Here's a passionate view of what it means to volunteer at Art in Action as shown in this video created by our volunteers!
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