Taking Pride in Their Work
A gallery walk featuring Creative Art Works literacy-based artmaking projects at The William Lynch School in Harlem offers students a chance to share their art with family, friends, and the school community.
“This is the best day ever, because I got to see my art on the wall!”
A PS 368 student shows her family a work of blackout poetry she created
There is a buzz in the air at PS 368, The William Lynch School. Over the last few days, Creative Art Works’ program managers have lovingly curated and mounted an art gallery of student work in the lobby and a main corridor of this West Harlem school. Now students, teachers, parents, and friends have gathered to admire the outpouring of creative talent from our in-school artmaking classes. The work ranges from collage to blackout poetry to clay sculptures.
One parent stops to admire colorful cut-paper designs and turns to ask, “Are these the Wycinanki? My child was telling me about these at home–I had to look it up!”
Hearing from this father about how engaged his daughter had been in the program, it struck me that this is exactly why we invest such resources in presenting student work. These exhibitions demonstrate to students that their work is seen and it is valued. Indeed, they often give parents and teachers new perspectives on their students.
Paper cutouts inspired by Polish Wycinanki
Wycinanki (vee-chee-non-kee) is the art of cutting paper to make symmetrical designs. This traditional folk art has been practiced in Poland, Ukraine and Belarus for over a hundred years.
This CAW in-school artmaking program spanned the upper elementary grades and included more than 100 students. Projects integrated with the texts being read by third to fifth graders. For example, working with clay aligned with the concept of transformation, a major theme explored in the third-grade curriculum. Creating sculptures inspired by animal vessels from the Moche culture of Peru aligned with the fourth-grade unit focused on predators and animal defense mechanisms, as well as the fifth-grade’s study of rainforest biodiversity.
While we value the chance to display finished work—indeed, it is an intentional component of all our programming—Amrita fostered a sense of artistic freedom and constructive play, emphasizing process over perfection. Teamwork became a common thread across several projects.
“In one third-grade class, students called the process of creating coil pots “surgery,” which inspired collaboration as different “doctors” helped assist. One student would support the base of the “patient” while the other coiled the clay evenly atop the base.”
CAW Teaching Amrita Singh said that working with clay was a huge hit with her students, who would applaud when she rolled the art cart into the classroom.
Clay sculptures inspired by Moche animal vessels
The Moche people of Peru (100 to 700 CE) created animal vessels of infinite variety including llamas, alpacas, deer, cats, foxes, rodents, monkeys, bats, sea lions, fish, shells, spiders, reptiles, and many kinds of birds.
Teamwork is also a hallmark of our longstanding partnership with PS 368, where Principal Charles Reilly's dedication to arts education helps our collaboration to thrive. Impressed by CAW's work at PS/MS 278, where he was formerly Assistant Principal, Mr. Reilly prioritized bringing CAW to his new school.
CAW Executive Director Karen Jolicoeur (left) with PS 369 Assistant Principal Tamara Bynum (center) and Principal Charles Reilly (right) at the unveiling of the school mural, "Journey of Dreams: Pathway to Purpose"
“CAW’s programs thrive on the strength of our collaborations with devoted, innovative educators, and Charles Reilly is an exceptional example. His shared commitment to educating the whole child, and his partnership in securing the necessary resources and supports, ensure that our programs and our students can flourish.”
Blackout Poetry
Students discovered hidden poetry by selecting words from a page and then blacking out the rest to create unique verses.
Teaching and Program Staff
Teaching Staff
CAW Teaching Artist Amrita Singh
Program Staff
CAW Program Manager Donna Manganello
CAW Program Manager of Teaching & Learning Riki Sabel
Program Coordinator Madeline De León
Operations Coordinator Emilio Vides-Curnen
This Creative Art Works program is supported, in part, by the West Harlem Development Corporation. This Creative Art Works program is also made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.