Museum of Kids Art

A new place for kids to learn the colors and the shapes

By Craig Brownlie

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Introducing the Museum of Kids Art

This past Saturday morning my son and I met Michelle Cardulla outside 90 Webster Avenue. Cardulla is the executive director of the brand new Museum of Kids Art, which has its grand opening Saturday, December 9, 6-9 p.m. MoKA sits atop a Flatiron-style building gorgeously restored by North East Area Development, Inc.

The museum grew out of Cardulla's concern about the marginalization of the arts in American education and life. MoKA's purpose is "to activate art programming, by existing as a center for arts and learning that employs the visual arts to foster a sense of accomplishment and hope in the urban community."

We bundled ourselves up the bright stairs, lined with colorful art patterns. Inside, massive paper lanterns, decorated in fantastic ways, hung from the ceiling. MoKA is currently designed to involve children from kindergarten through sixth grade. Classes are being offered in dance, cooking, weaving, and painting. In the future, Cardulla hopes to involve teens both as participants and as mentors. For that matter, Cardulla would be keen to see MoKA grow into an arts center for the entire community writ large. "I'd love to attract world-class people," she says.

My son loved the insect drawings and the handmade tiles. Saturday's grand opening will feature art to view, art to buy, art to do, refreshments, and a surprise or two. Visit www.museumofkidsart.org for more information.