Partners: Boys and Girls Club of Toledo; Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Ohio; ASK Urban Impact; Wallbridge All-Stars; Caldwell Community Center

Educators: Michael Clink, Hannah Crabtree, Merce Culp, Amanda Fleming, Paula Nowicki, Jodie Peace

Location: Toledo, OH

Serina, age 12
Cat, 2014
Construction papers and acrylic paint on paper

Genevieve, age 10
Cat Mummy, 2014
Layered pastels on paper

Cetrionna
Fantasy Bird, 2014
Scratch foam relief printing process with chalk pastels on paper

The Toledo Museum of Art has been on the forefront of incorporating the 21st century learning skills of critical thinking and creativity into programming through Teaching Visual Literacy. During classes that take place at the museum, instructors use games, activities, and inquiry-based discussion to encourage students to look closer at works of art in the gallery to make meaning of images from those observations. Represented here are works from the Art After School program which serves students in under-represented communities. Works like Serina’s were inspired by the Museum’s exhibition, “In Fine Feather.” By working with community partners, the Museum is able to serve almost 2,000 children annually through after school programming.