Categories
Art Education Studio at Home

Snow + Art = Perfect Wintry Mix!

Young man out in the snow holding a small shovel

One of the best parts of living in Wisconsin for many is the snowy winters. While the joy of snow days might not be the same for adults as for kids, the fun of making snow angels or the thrill of throwing a snowball never fades. I remember spending hours digging tunnels through snow drifts that couldn’t possibly have been as tall in life as they exist in my memory. I wouldn’t come inside until my masterpiece was finished…or my toes were numb.

As we settle into this cold winter, there are two things that can help us thrive: art and the great outdoors. That’s why the Kohl’s Art Studio is teaming up with the Urban Ecology Center (UEC) to encourage everyone to bundle up and get creative together—outside! 

Categories
Art Education Studio at Home

Kohl’s Art Generation Studio at Home: Art About Work

Man in a straw cowboy hat holding a boot and a Wisconsin belt buckle

Make your own drawing inspired by the action-packed artwork of Luis Jiménez.

Categories
Art Education Studio at Home

Kohl’s Art Generation Studio at Home: Making in the Moment

Man in sunglasses giving a thumbs up and holding three pieces of colorful chalk

Learn about an abstract painting, and then make a summer-inspired work of your own.

Categories
Art Collection Education Modern Studio at Home

Kohl’s Art Generation Studio at Home: Paint and Pour

Abstract paint strokes of black, blue, and red on a white background
Helen Frankenthaler, Hotel Cro-Magnon, 1958. Oil on canvas. Gift of Mrs. Harry Lynde Bradley M1966.153. © 2010 Helen Frankenthaler / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Abstract paint strokes of black, blue, and red on a white background
Helen Frankenthaler, Hotel Cro-Magnon, 1958 (detail). Oil on canvas. Gift of Mrs. Harry Lynde Bradley M1966.153. © 2010 Helen Frankenthaler / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

When you look at the painting below, what do you see? American artist Helen Frankenthaler (1928–2011) was an Abstract Expressionist; these artists used line, shape, and color to express themselves.

Frankenthaler invented her own painting technique, which she called “soak staining.” First, she added turpentine to her oil paints to make them thinner (and very runny!). Then, she laid a cotton canvas flat on the floor, and poured, dripped, and brushed the paint onto its surface. Since her canvases were unprimed, or raw, the paint soaked into the fabric.

Categories
Art Collection Contemporary Education Studio at Home

Kohl’s Art Generation Studio at Home: Picturing Pets, Sunny

Gray, long-haired dog sitting in a field by the lake with its tongue out
Alex Katz, Sunny #4, 1971. Gift of Mrs. Harry Lynde Bradley, M1975.143. Photo by John R. Glembin. © 2019 Alex Katz/Artist Rights Society (ARS), New York
Alex Katz, Sunny #4, 1971 (detail). Gift of Mrs. Harry Lynde Bradley, M1975.143. Photo by John R. Glembin. © 2019 Alex Katz/Artist Rights Society (ARS), New York

We commonly refer to dogs as everyone’s best friend, and for me, that’s true. But I have many other best friends, too, including my cat, my rabbit, and some nice people. Each has their own unique personality. Artworks can also have unique “personalities,” or styles. Artistic styles help us explain how artworks look and how they were made. There are many different styles of art.

Alex Katz’s Sunny #4, a larger-than-life portrait of the artist’s dog, is painted in the Pop Art style. Pop artists often used bold lines, flat shapes, and vivid colors in their artworks. Here, Katz used long, straight brushstrokes to paint Sunny’s hair, and for Sunny’s tongue, he painted a flat, pink rectangle.

Let’s make our own drawings inspired by Sunny!

Categories
Art Education Studio at Home

Kohl’s Art Generation Studio at Home: Story Time

Did you miss Story Time at the Kohl’s Art Generation Family Sundays at Home: Animals in Art event last month? Catch it here! Emily reads Help! A Story of Friendship by Holly Keller.

Woman holds up a book while sitting on a red couch with her corgi
Categories
Art Education Studio at Home

Kohl’s Art Generation Studio at Home: Adventure in Art

Black cat walking across the lawn

Enjoy a highlight from our recent virtual event, Kohl’s Art Generation Family Sundays at Home: Animals in Art. “Step inside” a painting with Ali, and learn to move like a lion!

Categories
Art Education Studio at Home

Kohl’s Art Generation Studio at Home: Animal Sketchbooks

Man holding up a Milwaukee Art Museum sign in front of the Museum

Did you miss Kohl’s Art Generation Family Sundays at Home: Animals in Art? No worries! We’re featuring some of our favorite activities from the virtual event right here, on the blog.

Check out Brett’s animal drawings, and then make your own sketchbook.

Categories
Art Collection Education Modern Prints and Drawings Studio at Home

Kohl’s Art Generation Studio at Home: Chalk the State

Rooster in bright colors with both eyes on the same side
Pablo Picasso, Rooster, 1938. Pastel on paper. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Lynde Bradley M1959.373. Photographer by Larry Sanders © 2010 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Rooster in bright colors with both eyes on the same side
Pablo Picasso, Rooster, 1938 (detail). Pastel on paper. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Lynde Bradley M1959.373. Photographer by Larry Sanders © 2010 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
JULY 25–26, 2020

This weekend, take to your sidewalks, driveways, and parking lots to create bright, joyful chalk art! We’re joining with the Museum of Wisconsin Art (MOWA) and many other arts organizations throughout the state to encourage a weekend of outdoor art making. Spread positive messages to family, friends, and neighbors—or create your own masterpiece, inspired by works in the Museum’s collection!

Many famous artists have used chalk to make both sketches and finished works of art. To create the drawing below, Pablo Picasso (1881–1973) used pastels. Pastels are made from pigment, or color, and chalk; the two are blended and held together with a binder. Picasso’s pastel drawing of a rooster shows many of the special things you can do with this material. Use sidewalk chalk to make a drawing outdoors. Save pastels for drawing on paper!

Here are some tips and tricks for working with chalk and pastels:

Categories
Art Education Studio at Home

Kohl’s Art Generation Studio at Home: Painted Birds

Four birds sitting together in a birdcage

Did you miss Kohl’s Art Generation Family Sundays at Home: Animals in Art? No worries! We’ll be featuring some of our favorite activities from the virtual event in the coming weeks.

Learn to paint birds with Liala.