We had such fun playing at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts this week! They have a small collection of art from all periods, and currently have a Georgia O'Keefe exhibit. BUT! the best part was the ARTworks interactive gallery! This is "A special place for young visitors! "Paint" with virtual paint on a giant computer screen. Change the colors in a work of art with a computer. Enjoy books, blocks, drawing and more!" The KIA is located in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan.

If it is closed due to COVID-19, or you live far away and can't visit at the moment, you can explore the online collections at: http://collection.kiarts.org/

Come with me as I explore and play at the KIA!

They have lots of regular art - I like to find cool things in the paintings, or draw some parts of it myself.

Now comes the fun part - the KIDS ROOM! This is a big screen made of tiny nails. When you push in on one side, it makes a relief on the other.

You can learn about Calder and his mobiles, and try to balance your own mobile.

You can learn to draw wild animals.

You can explore color and light...

You can design your own prints and colors of this painting.

You can read, do fun things on the table, check out the robot, and also take photos of your face and then turn them into one of four types of artist statements (like Andy Warhol)...

MORE FUN! I call this one a Thousand Hands...

This part was fun, you pick up this HUGE heavy brush and then touch it to the color you want. Then you push a button and "paint" by waving the brush around. It draws it on the screen.

And you can learn about Audubon, and also put together a life-size puzzle of this bird.

The Kalamazoo Institute of Arts offers many high-quality classes and workshops at reasonable costs for people of all ages and skill levels. They even have a kids art camp!

But I would recommend going to the kids room and spending some time. It is FUN!

For more information, please see:

http://www.kiarts.org