Dear ASI Community,
As we move from the holiday season into the New Year, we’re reminded of the power of the arts to bring us together. Each class we hold and every lesson we share fosters a community where students can grow and thrive. We are grateful for your ongoing support and engagement in our mission to make art, music and literacy accessible to all. We wish everyone a happy, healthy 2025!
Warm regards,
Kristin and the Art Sphere Team
How you can make a difference
It’s wonderful to share the impactful work that Art Sphere Inc. is doing to provide free art programs and resources to the community, especially during a time when such opportunities may be limited. Supporting organizations like ours is crucial for the well-being and development of children and families.
For those looking to make a difference and contribute to Art Sphere Inc.’s mission, here are some ways to help:
1. Spread the Word: Share Art Sphere Inc.’s mission and initiatives with your friends, family, and social networks. Word of mouth can be a powerful tool in raising awareness. Engage with Art Sphere Inc. on social media platforms. Like, share, and comment on our posts to help broaden our reach.
2. Donate: Consider making a donation to Art Sphere Inc. Every contribution, no matter the size, can make a meaningful impact.
3. Volunteer: If possible, offer your time and skills to support Art Sphere Inc.’s programs. Volunteers can play a vital role in helping with classes, workshops, and events.
4. Corporate Sponsorship: Explore partnerships with local businesses or corporations that may be interested in supporting community initiatives. Corporate sponsorships can provide additional resources and visibility.
Remember, every little bit helps, and collective efforts can lead to positive change.
Celebrating Our Creative Journey in 2024!
2024 has been a year filled with creativity and learning for our youth! Here are some highlights:
Artistic Adventures in the Visual Arts: Students created self-portrait paintings, explored loom and yarn weavings, and crafted stunning clay sculptures. From pastel landscapes to vibrant watercolors, prints, and holiday presents, students have explored a variety of artistic expressions. Students loved picking books from our pop-up library and art materials to take home to enjoy over winter break.
Birdwatching: Inspired by “How to Bird” by Rasha Hamid, students learned to identify local birds by their sounds, colors, and shapes through engaging 3-D paper installations. Students looked at Pacific Northwest Native American Art and used their traditional shapes to make their own animal totem collages.
Culinary Creativity: After reading “Magic Ramen” by Andrea Wang, students designed their own instant food posters, showcasing their imaginative ideas and made their own foods.
Cultural Connections: “We Belong to the Drum” by Sandra Lamouche introduced Native American culture, encouraging students to celebrate their own heritage while learning to play traditional drums. With “Shaped by Her Hands” by Anna Harber Freeman and Barbara Gonzales students connected with the story of potter Maria Martinez by designing their own pots.
Halloween Fun Day of the Dead Sugar skulls and Tissue Paper Flowers: Students have explored a variety of artistic expressions. “Benito and the Night Creatures” by Mariana Llanos and “Looking for a Jumbie” by Tracey Baptiste set the stage for our spooky Halloween projects.
Thanksgiving Reflections: Inspired by “Amara’s Farm” by JaNay Brown-Wood, students created cornucopias and practiced leaf ink printing to celebrate the harvest.
Festive Celebrations: Holiday Music engaged teens in performing and leading the classes with Singalongs. “My Diwali Light” by Raakhee Mirchandani imparted an uplifting message about the importance of family and friends, leading to beautiful Rangoli artwork with colored sand and glue. “The Shape of Home” by Rashin Kheiriyeh inspired students to design 3-D house projects, while “The Lost Package” by Richard Ho served as a creative kickoff for our Hanukkah and Christmas Present Projects.
We have a variety of winter-themed handouts ready for you to celebrate 2025! Handouts provide fun and engaging projects that can be done with everyday materials in your own home or classroom. Here’s what’s new at Art Sphere:
More Spanish Resources Now Available
We are excited to announce that we are expanding our efforts to better serve our Spanish-speaking community by creating more handouts in Spanish. These resources aim to ensure that everyone has access to our programs, services, and educational materials, regardless of language. We believe that offering these materials in Spanish will help foster greater inclusivity and engagement. To explore our Spanish-language resources, please visit our dedicated page here. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to expand our outreach!
Help Us Create Valuable Resources!
Are you passionate about music? Do you want to help high school students earn community service hours? It’s quick and easy to get involved! We invite individuals and groups to contribute to ASI’s music instrument lessons and webpages.
I’ve seen firsthand how technology can enhance our music education efforts.
Join Us for Our MLK Day of Service Online Volunteer Event!
Be a Global Citizen! We are excited to invite you to our special online volunteer event to honor Dr. King’s legacy through service and unity! This is a wonderful opportunity to give back to the community, connect with others, and make a positive impact—all from the comfort of your home.
Sign up and be part of this meaningful day. Don’t forget to share our social media posts with your friends and family to spread the word! We can’t wait to see you there!
How Can You Help? Are you passionate about music? Do you want to help high school students earn community service hours? It’s quick and easy to get involved! We invite individuals and groups to contribute to ASI’s music instrument lessons and webpages.
“Volunteering with ASI has been a great place to start my workforce experience. I have learned how to collaborate between teams, and it is so cool to see all of the different moving parts that go into the everyday functions of the non-profit. I love that I am making a contribution that creates a meaningful impact on the youth from elementary to high school students through music and art, a couple of my own passions.”
App Team
“Volunteering with ASI has been a great place to start my workforce experience. I have learned how to collaborate between teams, and it is so cool to see all of the different moving parts that go into the everyday functions of the non-profit. I love that I am making a contribution that creates a meaningful impact on the youth from elementary to high school students through music and art, a couple of my own passions.”
IT Team
“As a software developer at Art Sphere, I have had the privilege of working in an environment that fosters creativity, innovation, and collaboration. Art Spheres dedication to creating impactful and meaningful projects is truly inspiring.”
IT Team
Reflections from ASI Art Teacher, Kristin; Working with teenage girls has been a powerful experience as I watch them become more confident with each class. They remind me that when you first enter a classroom or a meeting it’s “Halloween-scary” and you are unsure what you will find. Then as you work together you learn about one another and are “Thanksgiving-grateful” for this temporary group to be able to work together. And on the last days before the winter holidays –gift giving, you realize you exchanged the most important gift -the experience of connecting with others and sharing with one another beauty, knowledge, and hope.
Learn more about “The Creating Legacies through Art for Women” a service-learning program for high school girls, who want to learn more about working in the arts.
Thank you for your unwavering support and commitment to our mission. Together, we can inspire the next generation through the power of the arts.
Art Sphere Inc. would like to thank the AERIE REAL FOUNDATION™ COMMUNITY GRANT, Hamilton Family Charitable Trust, Philadelphia Cultural Fund, Read By 4th, Philly Book Bank, First Book, The Presser Foundation, Penn Treaty Special Services District, Rosenlund Family Foundation and our other supporters for all of their support!
Don’t forget to follow our social media channels for the latest updates on upcoming class schedules, exciting new topics, and creative inspiration! We’re looking forward to continuing this journey of exploration and creativity together in 2025.
Thank you for your support!
With gratitude,
The Art Sphere Team
Website: ArtSphere.org | Email: info@artsphere.org
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