Juju Helmes
I am passionate about fostering a space for children to discover their own artistic expression and the joy of creative collaboration. I graduated from Barnard College in 2012 with a B.A. in English and Art History and I worked in Berlin as a teaching assistant and tutor. In 2014 I completed a Master in Philosophy at Trinity College Dublin in Children’s Literature. The focus of my studies was on the interplay between text and images, an interest that inspires my classes at KidsArts.
My classes are composed of three parts: Look and Listen 2) Create and Experiment 3) Share and Celebrate.
This structure provides a balance of individual and group activities, designed to give each student the attention and flexibility they need to succeed in their own art making, while also allowing for collaboration. The opportunity to share artwork, or work in progress, aims at growing students’ confidence in speaking about their ideas, and building a classroom community that fosters empathy and supports creative and cultural exchange.
Past Classes
This session we’re going to explore the art and artists in our local community. We’ll look at the murals and statues on Centre Street, as well as visit the Aviary Gallery and JP library basement gallery. As a group we’ll come up with solutions for how to make public and site-specific art, as well as consider how to foster a community that nourishes its artists. This class is primarily aimed at students ages 8 and up, however, enthusiastic younger students are welcome to apply.