KRS Kids Explore Intersection of Art & Literacy!

Union Rescue Mission volunteers & students with their printmaking art

 The theme for February’s KRS Saturday reading program was “Expressing Yourself Through Art”. After the first hour reading with volunteers, the KRS students at the Union Rescue Mission site were visited by Robert Hinton, an instructor at the Pasadena-based Armory Center for the Arts. Robert gave a brief introduction about different types of art and led the students in a hands-on print making workshop using paints, brushes, and other materials donated by the Armory. Robert shared about how printmaking was and still is critical to books and particularly, their illustrations. 

 

 

Robert Hinton of Armory with KRS students and volunteers

 The students then created their own illustrations, were shown how to transfer their pictures to a Styrofoam board, and used paints to print the images to a sheet of paper to keep at the end of the morning. Many students stayed after the program had ended to make a few more prints to take home. 

 

KRS volunteer Joyce Nakashima with Karen Nakashima, KIPP School art teacher

 Karen Nakashima, an art teacher at KIPP Elementary School, worked with KRS' kids at our Pasadena locations and shared about the art of famous art masters like Edvard Munch and Vincent Van Gogh --gleaned from wonderful books of art the kids could easily find at their local libraries.  Karen also shared the stories and emotions prevalent in the painters' works of art.  The kids then had an opportunity to express their own emotions through art using simple supplies like paper, a Sharpie pen, and googly eyes.  Volunteers and students then discussed and shared the art they created.

Karen Nakashima leads KRS sessions in Pasadena

Artwork expressing emotions

Special thanks to Robert Hinton and the Armory Center for the Arts and Karen Nakashima for leading such a creative and inspiring program for our students!