Dart Foundation - Kresge opens doors to give students 'HeART'

Kresge opens doors to give students 'HeART'

by Alanna Thiede/The State News

EAST LANSING, MI – While attending MSU almost 10 years ago, Grace Flecha and her sister came to Kresge Art Center to make Valentine’s Day cards for their boyfriends.

Flecha drove from Brighton on Saturday to revisit the card-making event at Kresge, only this time she was married to that boyfriend, and had their two children in tow.

"It was such a fun experience as an adult," Flecha said. "I figured it’s got to be a blast for the kids."

You Gotta Have HeART is part of Kresge’s ongoing Creative Kids series of events to promote visual art to children. This Valentine-themed day was the second of four events scheduled for 2010.

Cari Wolfe, education curator and event coordinator, said Creative Kids events have been going on for about 15 years.

The events, sponsored by the Dart Foundation, are open to the public and all of the supplies are provided by the museum.

Wolfe said that the events benefit both the participants and the museum.

"It gets people into the museum," Wolfe said. "It’s a good way to reach out to the community."

Sarah Doty, a full-time postgraduation intern at Kresge, said these types of events also act as a stepping-stone to get children interested in more sophisticated art later in life.

The events, sponsored by the Dart Foundation, are open to the public and all of the supplies are provided by the museum.

"It’s an easier way to introduce the kids to the masterpieces we have at Kresge," Doty said.

One goal of the events, Wolfe said, is to give families a relaxed atmosphere, to de-stress, and be creative together without worrying about the hassle of cleanup.

"In the winter time, you don’t get a lot of art activities and you can’t handle this kind of mess in your home," Flecha said.

There were more than 100 attendees ranging from 3-year-old children to college students and parents.

Many MSU students participated in the event in partnership with MSU sponsored Lil’ Sibs Weekend and came to make Valentine’s Day cards with younger siblings.

Dylan Krupp, a hospitality and business junior, brought his 12-year-old sister Halsey to Kresge during Lil’ Sibs Weekend.

He advised her on how to make a successful Valentine’s card, while he also made a card for his girlfriend. He said they came because it’s warm, free and fun.

Callie Frey, an art history senior whose mother is an artist, said growing up in an creative environment was a good experience for her, adding that these types of activities are especially important for children whose schools have made cuts to art programs.

"It’s very important for museums to offer programs like this because it’s an outlet for kids to learn different ways to express (themselves)," said Frey, who was an intern at Kresge last semester and now is an active volunteer for the museum.

Wolfe said that introducing the community to art in different forms is important.

"Art definitely enriches peoples’ lives," Wolfe said. "It makes us human."