Meet the gang here:

Marina
Joplin, MO
“This is my second semester working with Art Feeds and I love it because I love getting to work with kids. I have met some of the most amazing kids thanks to Art Feeds!”

Ashton
Joplin, MO
“I LOVE doing art! I look forward to my next creative task everyday. What makes it better, though, is working with kids! Kids + Art = AWESOME”

Kasey
Joplin, MO
“I love working with kids! I think art is a fantastic way to reach out to them and make a difference in their lives, and Art Feeds lets me do that!”

Megan
Joplin, MO
“I love everything about Art Feeds. It is crazy, fun, inspring and helps kiddos express themselves through art! What could be better?”

Olivia
Joplin, MO
“I love Art Feeds artists! They’re fountains of creativity and I wanted to find new ways to serve and invest in them. These kids are our future!”

Tess
London, Ontario
“I’m a Canadian who loves anything related to art! I have a passion for community development and love how Art Feeds does it all!”

Meredith
Pleasant Hill, CA
“I chose to apply for an Art feeds internship because I love working with children and am a fairly creative person. When I saw that Art Feeds combined two of my passions I couldn’t resist getting involved.”

Alyssa
Madison, WI
“I adore kids! I think adults can learn so much from them. I also love arts and crafts, having fun, and being silly. Kid art is the best art.”

My Ngoc
Lilburn, GA
“I love working with such innovating, hardworking young people for a cause that I believe in. Children are the future, and art keeps us human.”

Micha
Mexico, MO
“Creativity is a huge part of my life. When an internship position opened with AF, I knew it would be a great fit. We go together like PB&J.”

Stay tuned for updates & guest bloggers from the crew.
To apply for a Fall internship at Art Feeds HQ, check out this application.

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Love Naively. Give Generously. Be Foolishly Compassionate.
Art Feeds
@artfeeds

The coolest part is HOW EASY they’re making it to be generous. Just give it a shot!

The campaign launches June 15 & will run for one week until June 22. Utilizing Groupon Grassroots’ collective action model, Groupon subscribers can pledge support for the Art Feeds Moore initiative in increments of $10- each $10 provides an art pack for a student affected by the disaster in Moore, OK.

One hundred percent of the Groupon Grassroots campaign proceeds will be used to provide art packs and Art Feeds programs for Moore, OK students.

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Love Naively. Give Generously. Be Foolishly Compassionate.

Art Feeds

@artfeeds

Sometimes these reminders pop up when we least expect them. At a recent workshop, we read The Giving Tree together, then developed drawings that would eventually go on a mural focusing on the gifts we would give to others. We imagined toys, little sisters, books, clothes, etc. to be shared at the end of class.  Little did we know.  Check out these sweet & creative responses:

We want to be just like them when we grow up. What’s your gift to others?

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Love Naively. Give Generously. Be Foolishly Compassionate.

Art Feeds

@artfeeds

Art Feeds HQ has been brimming with boxes of supplies! This was exactly our hope when we teamed up with DoSomething.org to run a nationwide art supply drive to build art packs for students in Moore, OK.

At this point, we’ve almost hit our goal of providing art packs for 1300 students impacted by the May tornado.  Because of this, we’re capping off this project on Monday June 17. We’re asking that anyone who’s running a drive to box up their supplies to head our way by next week.

Have any questions? Email brooke@artfeeds.org.  Thank you, thank you for sending so much kindness our way!

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Love Naively. Give Generously. Be Foolishly Compassionate.

Art Feeds

@artfeeds

I have an exciting announcement about the growth of our programs and some changes being made with our Mobile Art Center, lovingly named “Van Gogh” by our students. Van Gogh has had a very busy year and a half at a myriad of community events, reaching more than 5,000 young artists. I have made a decision to further our mission with the use of Van Gogh for more children.

Since 2011, when Art Feeds received Van Gogh (the souped-up Art Feeds Mobile Art Center) as a gift from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, we’ve been driving around the Joplin community bringing “Art World” to parks, neighborhoods & community events. Our purpose with this bus is to use it as a tool to share ”free therapeutic art and creative education for children” that we strive for in our mission. When our students come on board we always share that the bus was given to us to share with all children of Joplin- that this bus was created for THEM. We just get the gift of sharing it.

In the past year and a half, the art mobile has been used as a fundraising tool to host private birthday parties for students who want to celebrate by creating wildly with their friends. It has been a ton of fun, we’ve met some amazing little artists, crowned birthday boys and girls and had some crazy dance parties in celebration! We have loved sharing these special moments with the kiddos of the Joplin community. However, I have made a decision to no longer book private parties, but rather community events where all students can be involved to further our mission.

While we will finish out our booked parties for the Summer, we are excited to host more workshops and community events than ever with the bus. These community events allow us to share the “art world” Van Gogh creates with all children with no exclusivity.  You will see the bus at more community events in the area and can look forward to more Art Feeds workshops including the Mobile Art Center this Summer and Fall. We are excited to be reaching more students that ever with Van Gogh!

Van Gogh will still be available to reserve for community functions & events. We’ve partnered with several entities to bring Art World to their students like: Boys & Girls Club, YMCA, Kaboom!, Church Functions, Elementary Field Day, LTRC Block parties, and more. You can email artmobile@artfeeds.org for a price quote & availability.

Thanks so much for your support of Art Feeds. We are so looking forward to seeing you at events & workshops! We’ll be the ones creating wildly in the technicolored art mobile, you can’t miss us.

Founder | Executive Director

Art Feeds

@artfeedsmeg

]]> http://artfeeds.org/2013/announcement-art-feeds-birthday-parties/feed/ 0 http://artfeeds.org/2013/calling-all-cape-makers/ http://artfeeds.org/2013/calling-all-cape-makers/#comments Sat, 08 Jun 2013 16:06:42 +0000 Art Feeds http://artfeeds.org/?p=5460 Continue reading →]]> BIG NEWS: We’ve raised over $13,000 for the Art Feeds Moore campaign! That means 1300 students will be receiving Art Feeds art packs to help start the healing process through expressive art. Way to go!

Here’s our next need to complete this project: SUPERHERO CAPES! In Joplin, we sewed capes to go in each art pack shortly after the storm. We caught students wearing these all over town- They felt powerful which is such an important resource when students have seen their city fall down around them.

We need help constructing 1300 superhero capes to go into these art packs!  Here are the details:

Who: Anyone who can sew (or operate a hot glue gun carefully)

Deadline: June 17, 2013- Capes can be mailed to or dropped off at:

Art Feeds

417 E. 7th St.

Joplin, MO 64801

Details: If you are in the Joplin area, you can pick up the fabric and ribbons for construction at Art Feeds HQ! If you are out-of-Joplin, you can use any lightweight fabrics (patterned or solids) with a wide (1.5in) ribbon at the top to tie around necks. Capes may be constructed by sewing edges & ribbon or carefully using hot glue to secure all attachments. Here are basic measurements for the cape in case you’d like to make a pattern for mass production:

For any further questions, email Miss Jo: johanna@artfeeds.org.

Here are more ways to give to the Art Feeds Moore project:

Give Monetarily: www.shrnk.co/artfeedsmoore

Give Supplies & Encouragement: www.dosomething.org/ok

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Love Naively. Give Generously. Be Foolishly Compassionate.

Art Feeds

@artfeeds

This first workshop was inspired by our favorite children’s author, illustrator & poet Shel Silverstein.  We enjoyed his creations, tried out our own illustrations for his poems, discussed & expressed the generosity of the giving tree, created our own community poems, aaaand painted on the walls. (It’s summer, why not?)

Check out the fun below!

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We have 3 more fundraising workshops coming up this summer! Click on one of the banners below to see all the details:

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Love Naively. Give Generously. Be Foolishly Compassionate.

Art Feeds

@artfeeds

To make that happen, we fundraise like crazy. One way we do this is through fundraising workshops every summer. We host about 4 workshops during each summer for students who would like a little extra AWESOME added to their summer breaks. These are exclusive lessons only taught once- and lemme-tell-ya- they’re off the charts.

Each workshop is $30, open to students K-5.

Click on one of the banners below to learn more about the workshop & have the chance to register online.

To register by phone, call anytime between 8 & 4, Mon-Fri: (417).626.2323

Hope to create with your little ones this summer!

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Love Naively. Give Generously. Be Foolishly Compasionate.

Art Feeds

@artfeeds

We have a new member of Art Feeds staff! Meet Jo: Art Feeds Director of Creative Education. Jo came to us in January 2013 as an Art Feeds Intern. She quickly showed us what she was made of: whimsy & expertise. She recently won the award “Art Feeds Missing Piece” at the Yarnie Awards & already has a corner of our hearts reserved for her crazy outfits.

We asked her to tell you a bit about herself as well. Enjoy!

Full Name: Johanna DeLong

Email: johanna@artfeeds.org

Twitter & Insta Handle: @msjobeans

Where are you from? Wisconsin! A land far, far away full of various delicious cheeses to eat…and to wear on your head.

What does Art Feed for you? Engagement, expression, growth and joi de vivre!

If you had one super power what would it be? Omnilingualism. (Speaking and understanding all languages. Like a boss.)

Favorite food: Breakfast. Dessert. Also candy. Also popcorn.

Favorite activities/hobbies: birthdays, thrifting, eating, sitting, crafting, hugging, adventuring, dancing, laughing. Not necessarily in that order.

Biggest Accomplishment to Date: Graduating from college and finding my dream job (!!!). Double high five.

Tell us one embarrassing moment or crazy story: One time on my way to South Africa after high school, I lost my passport and was detained for 14 hours in France. Whoopsie daisy.

Fun fact about you: I love Justin Bieber. a lot.

Why are you SO PUMPED to be an Art Feeds staffer?

Oh man! So many reasons! Kiddos, creating, love, generosity,and compassion are some of my very deepest passions and I am SO PUMPED to be part of such an authentic and innovative organization that encompasses all of those most essential parts of who I am and what I want my life to be about! I am humbled, honored and over the moon to be learning from and joining this incredible family of immensely talented, kind and lovely humans! But also added bonus, let’s be honest… 3 words. Sour. Patch. Kids.

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There ya have it. If you see Jo hanging around, be sure to give her a high five. She totally deserves it.

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Love Naively. Give Generously. Be Foolishly Compassionate.

Art Feeds

@artfeeds

Our friends at Do Something have something AWESOME up their sleeve to help you out!

On this site, you can get all the skinny on what to give, where to give it, & what it’s going to do. No physical donations to give either? No problem. Even your kind words are valuable at a time like this.

Check it out!

Accepting monetary donations HERE.

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Love Naively. Give Generously. Be Foolishly Compassionate.

Art Feeds

@artfeeds