Celebrate the Summer Solstice with Art!

It’s finally here!  Summer time!  It’s a time for water ice, bare feet, tree climbing and of course, art!  Here at the Art Center, our summer started Monday morning when we welcomed Session A campers for Summer Art Camp.  But officially, the summer doesn’t begin until the Solstice – June 20.  On Friday, June 22, our Street Squad Artists will be hopping in the Arts Alive Mobile and heading down to Gladwyne see our friends at Riverbend Environmental Education Center for their annual Summer Solstice Celebration. This event runs from 6-8:30 pm is great fun for the whole family.  Explore streams and ponds , watch a bee keeping demonstration (SO COOL!), take a hike (literally – it’s not just a saying), groove to some live music and enjoy tasty refreshments.  And then of course, there will be art!  We’ll be there with supplies to make Summer Solstice garden pinwheels from 6-7 pm.  Sounds like fun, right?

What makes this event extra-cool is the focus on bringing the community together to reach children about the environment – that’s part of Riverbend’s mission. For this particular event, they’ve partnered with Bridlewild Trails, Harriton House, Lower Merion Conservancy, Lower Merion Historical Society, and yours truly.  The suggested charitable donation is $15 per family (Riverbend Members are free).  You can read more about this event here.  Come celebrate summer with us!

2x the Art = 2x the Fun!

The Street Squad Artists worked twice as hard this weekend, hitting up 2 events in one day! While the Arts Alive Mobile traveled to Philadelphia for West Park Arts Fest in Fairmount Park, the other Squad traveled to the Penn Wynne School in Wynnewood to attend Alex’s Original Lemonade Stand. Oh, how sweet it was! Making paper butterfly garden ornaments (complete with pipe cleaners and sequins!), the families in attendance were able to not only make their own piece of art but honor the memory of Alex as well. As part of the Lemonade Stand fair, butterflies are released in Alex’s honor. It was truly inspiring to be a part of such a  powerful event.

Street Squad Volunteer Caitlin had this to say about the experience: “It was wonderful to be able to bring our project into this event and see it take on a whole new meaning. I was really proud to be a part of something so amazing.”  Here are some pictures from the event…enjoy! 

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Yup – We’re Doing it Again: Double Shot Weekend #2

Ladies and Gents!  May we have your attention for an exciting announcement. From 11 am-12 pm on Saturday, June 9 we will be…(drum roll please) in 2 places at once!  No, it is not magic. No, we have not cloned the Arts Alive Mobile (although that would be cool and super-helpful). There are just so many amazing, worthwhile events deserving of free art projects that we just simply could not say no. And might we suggest that you say yes to attending both events too…although you’ll have to decide where you want to be from 11 am-12 pm!

The first fantastic event, which is certainly near and dear to our hearts, is Alex’s “Original” Lemonade Stand from 10 am-3 pm at the Penn Wynne Elementary School in Wynnewood. The annual event run by the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, features fun for the whole family, games, performances and most importantly, raises money to help find a cure for childhood cancer.  The Foundation was started by friends and family Alexandra “Alex” Scott who passed away from cancer in 2004 at the age of 8. In the short time she was on this earth, Alex raised nearly $1 million for childhood cancer with the help of friends and family and yearly lemonade stands. Since 2004, the Foundation has raised more than $50 million.  What an amazing accomplishment!  We’re HONORED to be a part of this event.

Happening on the same day from 11 am-5 pm in Fairmount Park is West Park Arts Fest.  More than 30 cultural and community organizations are gathering together for one fun filled day of performances of all kinds (music, dance and even aerial acrobatics!), crafts, food, and even animals courtesy of the Philadelphia Zoo. If you have little ones, don’t miss the Children’s Pavilion featuring drawing and theatre, book giveaways, story telling, and art!  This is the 5th annual West Park Arts Fest, and it is free and open to the public (happening rain or shine) Learn more here.

So now you see why we just had to commit to both events!  Whether you pick 1 or both, just be sure to come visit the Arts Alive Mobile for free art-making and giveaways!

May 12 is Double Shot Saturday!

With two very worthwhile events happening this Saturday, May 12, we’re looking at a double shot of art…and perhaps a double shot of espresso in our lattes to keep up our energy!

Luckily our first stop is right around the corner from the Art Center – theHaverford Friends School’s Spring Fair.  Located on Buck Lane, the fair will be up and running (rain or shine!) from 11 am-3 pm. Children under 12 years old get in for free! What a better way to celebrate Spring than music, face painting, yummy food, and arts and crafts? The Arts Alive Mobile will SPRING into action from 12-1 pm providing supplies for one and all to create their own butterfly. Tied onto a wooden skewer using pipe cleaners, this beautiful creation can be used as a plant ornament or perhaps a simple decoration…the possibilities are endless! So come on over to Haverford Friends School and join our Street Squad artists for an hour of fun in the sun.

After a pit stop back at the Art Center to pick up supplies (and perhaps another shot of espresso!), Street Squad Artists will head to Philadelphia’s first playground – Starr Garden at 6th and Lombard – for Love Your Park Day.  Recreational parks are gems in any community and certainly deserve their share of attention and TLC! The event begins with a very important park clean up session from 9-11 am followed by numerous FREE activities and performances. At 4 pm, our Street Squad artists will assist anyone and everyone in the creation of their very own recycled cardboard bug complete with pipe cleaners, beads, and construction paper. So why not head on over to 6th and Lombard so you can go green and get artsy?

Hope to see you at one (or both!) of these fun events on what we’re now calling, “Double Shot Saturday!”

Hip Hip Hooray for Healthy Kids Day!

As the song goes…”It’s fun to stay at the YMCA!”  We’re so happy that the Arts Alive Mobile is going to be a part of Main Line YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day on Saturday, April 28 that we’re jumping for joy!  Okay, maybe not, but we will be once we get into the moon bounce that they will have there!  Also planned for this fun and free family event, which runs from 10 am-2 pm is a scavenger hunt, fitness stations (naturally..it is the YMCA afterall!), game stations and giveaways.  Healthy Kids Day is the nation’s largest health day for kids, and locally other wonderful organizations like the Ardmore Library, Main Line Health, Bear Essentials Tutoring and City Sports will be in attendance to host special activities.

In keeping with the theme of physical education, our Street Squad Artists will act as “trainers” from 10 to 11 am, ready to help kids work on flexing their creativity muscles! We’ll be bringing supplies to make these beautiful butterflies that will add pizazz to any spring garden (and what a beautiful gift for Mother’s Day!).

The Main Line YMCA is located at 100 St. George’s Road in Ardmore.  See you there!

Earth Day Celebration at the Conservancy

Where better to celebrate Earth Day (April 22) than at the Lower Merion Conservancy?! The mission of the Conservancy is to protect and enhance quality of life by engaging residents in preserving open space, the natural environment, and the historic character of the community.

The Conservancy is the next stop on our year-long road trip with the Arts Alive Mobile.  On Saturday, April 21, the Arts Alive Mobile and Street Squad Artists will be a part the 20th Annual Children’s Earth Day Forest at Waverly Heights, 1400 Waverly Road in Gladwyne.  This free event for the whole family runs Saturday and Sunday from 10 am-3 pm and features a totally unique kid-crafted Forest, hand-built by hundreds of area school children, who carefully research and create life-size artistic renditions of all the plants and animals of a Pennsylvania forest. From skunks to salamanders and butterflies to bears, it’s all here, plus take-home crafts, treasure hunts, live animals, science activity stations, prizes to win, and more.  The Opening Ceremony is Saturday at 10 am.  Register for this free event here.

In keeping with the theme, Street Squad Artists will be on site from 11 am-12 pm and will bring supplies to make these adorable bugs!  This little guy found his home in our flower pot…where will yours go?

Safety First…and Fun at Infant and Child Safety Day 2012

Click on this to download a PDF of the Infant & Child Safety Day flyer

The Arts Alive Mobile is gearing up for anther fun event this weekend.  On Saturday, April 14, we’re headed to Bryn Mawr Hospital for Infant & Child Safety Day 2012.  This free event for the entire family runs from 9 am to 1 pm and really is a “must do” as far as we’re concerned.  Where else can the kids do an art project and have their face painted, while parents learn lifesaving tips and important safety information?  Learn about infant CPR, window and water safety, helmet safety, sleep safety and much more.  There will also be finger printing and car seat checks (610.278.5119 to reserve a spot ).  This event is free, and the knowledge you’ll gain is really priceless if you have little ones in the family.  You register for this event and learn more here.

The Street Squad Artists are bringing a very Spring-ey project for Infant & Child Safety Day.  Kids can create these adorable butterfly garden ornaments – the perfect compliment to the beautiful spring flowers that are popping up everywhere on the Main Line!

An Egg-citing Day Planned for Saturday!

Spring has sprung and as the weather starts warming, the Arts Alive Mobile and its Street Squad Artists continue their trek out of hibernation and into a new and fresh season of ART!

This Saturday, March 31, the Arts Alive Mobile will be heading over to the Conservatory at West Laurel Hill Cemetery (located on Belmont Avenue in Bala Cynwyd) to join the annual Easter Egg Hunt!  Running from from 10 am to 2 pm, the event is chock full of fun…and chocolate: the Conservatory hides thousands of prize-filled and Zitner’s chocolate eggs. Rumor has it the Easter Bunny will be in attendance, making the Hunt even more thrilling! Bring your cameras, bring your baskets, but most of all please don’t forget to bring your creativity! Why?

Hopping on over at 10 am, for one hour long session, the Arts Alive Mobile and its Street Squad Artists will be providing the young artists/egg hunters with supplies to make their very own pinwheels! What better way to have a little bit of fun during this blustery month!?

Free of charge and meant for children ages ten and under, the West Laurel Hill Easter Egg Hunt (sponsored by Zitner’s Fine Confections) is a great way to spend this Saturday morning with your family. We are EGGstatic to be a part of it and hope to see you there! Read more about this fun event here, on West Laurel Cemetery’s website.

Spring Forward And Make Art!

After a bit of a winter hibernation, we’re eager to stretch our tires again (get it?!).  We’ve got quite a few events coming up this spring to get excited about, including a very cool appearance on Friday, March 9 from 6:30-7:30 pm at the People’s Light & Theatre in Malvern.

This upcoming appearance is extra-meaningful for us because of what it stands for. First we should tell you that March is Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities Awareness month.  On March 9, People’s Light has teamed up with Art-Reach (the only organization in the Philadelphia region solely devoted to bringing arts and cultural opportunities to the full range of underserved audiences) and VSA PA (the state organization on arts and disability) to present a fully-accessible performance of John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men as part of their initiative called Independence Starts Here!

What does this mean?  For starters, American Sign Language interpretation throughout the show and pre-show actor talk-back will be provided by Hands UP Productions. Assisted listening and open captioning and CART will be provided by Deaf-Hearing Communication Centre for patrons who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. For patrons who are blind or visually impaired, audio description will be provided by Art-Reach Ambassador Brooke Whitaker, braille provided by Associated Services for the Blind (ASB) and large print programs for patrons who are blind or visually impaired.  Wheelchair seating for patrons who have physical disabilities.  How awesome is that?

Our craft (a fun journal!) will run from 6:30-7:30 and will be followed by a special talk-back with an actor from the show (“The Scoop,” they call it – love that!).  The performance then begins at 8:00 pm.  As a partner, Main Line Art Center Members can receive 15% off on tickets to this particular performance.  Enter the code ARTREACH for the discount.

Use these handy dandy links to learn more about the groups associated with this event as well as the services that they provide:

Art-Reach: www.art-reach.org
VSA Pennsylvania: www.vsarts.org
People’s Light & Theatre Company: www.peopleslight.org
Hands UP Productions: www.handsupproductions.com
Deaf-Hearing Communication Centre: www.dhcc.org
ASB: www.asb.org
Independence Starts Here! www.phillyfunguide.com and click accessible events

A Different Kind of Art on the Go

These pictures of creatively wrapped buses have been making their rounds in chain emails for awhile now…but they are just too fun to not post on this blog.  The Arts Alive Mobile takes art on the road, but these buses from around the world take it to another level!

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