KIDS

Naturescapes in Manhattan and Ireland Artist Talk and Reception Thursday, August 14 | 5 pm Admission: FREE

Presented in association with Police Athletic League William J. Duncan Center, Clinton Housing Development Company, Irish Society of Botanical Artists, and Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland August 14 – October 6 Gallery viewings by appointment Monday-Friday | 10 am – 6 pm Please call 212-757-3318 Exploring the natural landscape of Ireland and New York, local 5th graders will transform the IAC gallery under the direction of Brooklyn-based Teaching Artist Pamella Allen. After visiting a number of New York City green spaces, and interviewing our partnering organizations in Ireland, students will create an original series of en plein air nature studies, in colored pencil, marker, collage, watercolor and mixed media works responding to their own natural surroundings and the environment and landscape of Ireland. The immersive and interactive project will bring to life Ireland’s rich arts, culture, and nature. Culture Night Friday, September 19 | 2 pm – 4 pm Culture Night is an annual public event in Ireland that celebrates culture, creativity and the arts. On Culture Night, arts and cultural organizations and venues of all shapes and sizes extend their opening hours to allow for increased access to the public. Special and unique events and workshops are specifically programmed at participating locations and everything is available free of charge.  Cities, counties and islands across the nation prepared a diverse programme of creative entertainment in this all-Ireland event but our rich cultural offering will also be showcased internationally. This year we join by opening our gallery doors for a second opportunity to view Naturescapes in Manhattan and Ireland.

Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland: The Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland, a registered charity founded in 1816, is dedicated to improving the knowledge and practice of horticulture and floral art and has become the leading organization for gardeners in Ireland.  Today RHSI is a thriving dynamic organisation, with membership spread throughout the whole of Ireland. In 2012 it began restoration of the Walled Garden attached to Russborough House, a stunning Palladian Mansion in County Wicklow which is run by the Alfred Beit Foundation.  To learn more about this ongoing project or to become a patron please visit www.rhsi.ie.

Police Athletic League, William J. Ducan Center: The William J. Duncan Center aims to provide high quality programming that inspires and supports youth achievement in school; and to create a community that motivates and guides youth toward positive and successful life choices. PAL programming at the William J. Duncan Center seeks to get kids moving: intellectually, artistically and athletically, to realize their full potential and to actualize their goals. The vision of the PAL William J. Duncan Center is to provide a safe, fun and healthy environment for our young people and their families and to serve as a resource to the Hell’s Kitchen Community.

The Irish Society of Botanical Artists is a group of botanical artists and other people who are interested in botanical art. We are based at the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin, where we recently held our inaugural exhibition – Aibítir: The Irish Alphabet in Botanical Art. Our Constitution upholds the principle of inclusivity and to that end we welcome artists with all levels of experience and ability, as well as those who simply have an interest in this beautiful art form. We welcome contact and interaction with other botanical art societies, as well as opportunities to encourage young people to learn about botanical art and plants in general. Our website can be found at www.irishbotanicalartists.com.

Clinton Housing Development Company: Clinton Housing Development Company (CHDC) is a non-profit housing organization committed to developing New York City's Hells’ Kitchen/Clinton community and surrounding neighborhoods through the provision of permanent affordable housing. Since 1973, we have developed and expanded existing and new programs to provide comprehensive housing services from renovation to management to social services.  CultivateHKNY, an initiative of CHDC builds community through the maintenance and development of public green space for the neighborhood.

Pamella Allen: A world traveller, community advocate, educator, and mentor, Pamella Allen is most of all, an artist with an agenda. After spending several years living and working in Africa, India, Europe and sailing the North Atlantic, the Aegean and the Caribbean, Ms. Allen set up her studio in Brooklyn, where she has created some of her most powerful work to date. Her stirring and insightful works have been featured in galleries around the globe and hang in private homes on several continents.  It is in her mission to bring art into the community that Pamella worked on diverse projects such as the TED Inside Out project and the Sonya Studio Stroll in Fort Green and Clinton Hill. As a teaching artist, Ms. Allen continues to inspire her students to greater creativity and dialogue.