The Painted Cloud

more open-minded, and help us gain autonomy. Experimenting in a group setting broadens our perspectives of what is possible within ourselves, our peers, and our communities. Gaining confidence in trying new things allows us to have more open minds toward our own intuition and creativity, that of our peers, and that of our communities. Understanding our power and ability to contribute to our own well-being and the well-being of our communities gives us autonomy without losing sight of our responsibility to our studio mates and those we collaborate with regularly. Established in 2008, The Painted Cloud offers the Williamsburg community an invigorating environment for young and maturing artists to learn, grow, and develop their desire to experiment with materials while expanding their skill-sets and broadening their perspectives. Our amazing team of dedicated teaching artists are devoted to working and collaborating with young and maturing artists in early childhood, elementary, middle, and high school. Process and dialogue are at the heart of our activities and experimentations. We place an emphasis on process to support all forms of creativity, offering a space for artists of every age to foster free-thinking, to engage in conversation, and to build self-confidence. Teaching artists map projects for young and maturing artists to work both independently and collaboratively over the course of the session series. Engaging in independent work allows young and maturing artists to develop foundational tools and harness their intuitive decision-making abilities. Participating in collaborative work prompts young and maturing artists in finding their individual roles within their The Painted Cloud community, linking to their pursuits of finding their roles in their greater communities beyond the studio. We guide young and maturing artists in consciously understanding the act of dialogue, increasing their abilities to maintain a healthy exchange about one another’s work and share opinions on topics large and small. Young and maturing artists at The Painted Cloud develop informed questions and opinions in a breadth of areas including technical art terms (color, line, shape, rhythm, etc), applications of materials, the reasons behind making art (fun, serious, etc), and more. We foster responsible experimentation, where the experimentation generates a foundational understanding of materials and concepts and is used as a jumping off point to learn and develop in a more directed and specific way. As artists, teaching artists, and community members, we are here to share in the creative, intellectual, and emotional growth of our young and maturing artists. At every stage of development we encourage artists of every age in the studio to imagine, practice skills, feel confident in their abilities, troubleshoot obstacles, and see projects through to the end. Additionally, we support the important role of choice time in both a studio practice and in education - all sessions include time for everyone to socialize and engage in activities of their choice. At the end of each session, the young and mature artists to present their works and share insights about their experiences. We hold our art studio as a safe environment for expression and thought. We are committed to inspiring and sparking the imaginations of kids through art. By infusing our studio time with art experimentation and community awareness, young and maturing artists in our programs are eager to work together and encourage one another because they establish self-pride in being an artist while also establishing their roles in the studio and as members of The Painted Cloud community. Responsibly becoming stewards of the space leads to greatness and creativity, young and maturing artists at The Painted Cloud hone skills toward achieving long-term artistic involvement, as well as skills essential to autonomy, personal success, and well-being.