Do it Yourself

Turn any space into your very own art studio! For the perfect remedy to “artist’s block,” get lost in your creative imagination with these guided projects. Inspired by artwork in our permanent collection, this selection of D.I.Y.s allows you to create masterpieces and participate in existing art traditions.

DIYs

Textured plate shape sculpture on pedestal in a park

Red/Black/Green Found Collage

Grow Your Own Crystals

DIY: Conversations in Collage

DIY Flip Books: with Ginny Huo

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Red/Black/Green Found Collage

Kevin Beasley’s Who’s Afraid to Listen to Red, Black and Green? features three large-scale sculptures created out of found objects. Pulled from the material of red, Black, or green T-shirts, each sculpture shows one color of the African-American flag. Inspired by inHarlem: Kevin Beasley, a site-specific installation in Morningside Park, create your own transformative work of art using found objects. If possible, try incorporating materials of a particular color or pattern that reflect something of importance, such as shared memory, personal identity, or community activity.

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Grow Your Own Crystals

Michael Demps is an interdisciplinary artist, musician, and DJ. His artwork Untitled: Dehiscent Echo (2017) was featured in The Studio Museum’s exhibition “Fictions.” Demps’ sculpture incorporates several elements such as rock salt, Rochelle salt (for growing crystals), candle wax, steel, insulation foam, and low-frequency sounds.

In some spaces, it is believed that crystals are great conduits for energy, making them powerful instruments for amplifying moods and atmospheres.

Taking inspiration from art, work with an adult to grow your own crystals! Inspired by Michael Demp’s artwork Untitled: Dehiscent Echo (2017), use everyday household materials to create a colorful, sparkling, sculpture.

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DIY: Conversations in Collage

Derrick Adams: Patrick Kelly, The Journey at the New York Public Library's Countee Cullen Library branch closes this week! There’s still time to see Adams’s exhibition featuring abstract collages that emulate the vintage clothing patterns, iconic fabrics, and bold geometric forms found in the late fashion designer Patrick Kelly's work. Below are simple steps to make your own collages, inspired by Adams’s artworks.

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DIY Flip Books: with Ginny Huo