Online Workshop

Looking at Art to Nurture Your Child

Upcoming dates:
4 Tuesdays: April 25–May 16, 2023. 12–1pm ET and 3–4pm ET. Free orientation 4/18.
4 Thursdays: April 27–May 18, 2023. 12–1pm ET and 3–4pm ET. Free orientation 4/20. Via Zoom.

Has your child ever shown you their artistic creation and you wished you could offer more than simple praise? Are you unsure about going to an art museum as a family because you can’t really imagine having fun looking together at art? If you answered “yes,” you’ll be in good company in our workshop. Held via Zoom, the course is for any parent interested in growing their relationship with the visual arts as a way to deepen the connection between themselves and their child.

This workshop is for you if you would like to:

  • learn how to playfully look together at art and pretty much anything with your child (Pre-K to 8th Grade);
  • come to celebrate a beginner’s perspective and relish in not knowing;
  • discover how the vocabulary of art can open up new possibilities for what we see;
  • discover your capacity to make meaning in the moment with the people you love.
Aaron Slodounik leaning on books in front of a wall covered with children's art
Being a scholar and a parent at home in Manhattan.

What happens in a workshop?
In this grown-ups-only online course, you’ll learn simple, yet profound practices to see art and even the world anew. You already have all the tools within you; we will simply give them shape and find their purpose. Depending on the day and the mood of the group, we’ll look and discuss together, improv, freewrite, and/or explore a relevant mindfulness practice. You’ll be invited to join in, but it’s okay to just sit and be. The artworks we will consider are on view right now in museums in New York City, so you can practice with your family over the weekend if you’re in town.

Why this class and not a different one?
This workshop might be a good fit if you would enjoy:

  • A caring community of fellow parents who, like you, are seeking to learn and grow.
  • Ongoing, direct contact with an award-winning teacher and a practicing scholar with a doctorate in art history.
  • A space to try out new ways of seeing and being with others.
  • The opportunity to develop new skills that can only be learned with practice and in community.

When are classes?
The next session is April–May, 2023. Free orientation sessions will be held Tuesday, April 18th and Thursday, April 20th for both prospective and registered participants. You are welcome to register for just the orientation session, if you want to learn more before enrolling, or you can commit now to the entire workshop. Space is limited and the workshop may fill to capacity, but there will be future opportunities to enroll.

Orientation: Tuesday, April 18, 2023. Sessions: 4 Tuesdays; April 25, May 2, 9, 16.
12–1pm (Eastern Time)
3–4pm (Eastern Time)

Orientation: Thursday, April 20, 2023. Sessions: 4 Thursdays; April 27, May 4, 11, 18.
12–1pm (Eastern Time)
3–4pm (Eastern Time)

Sign-up above for the orientation; if you are ready to enroll for the course, simply send me an email. (Cost is below.)

Two children look at a ventilation opening next adjacent to two works of modern art at the San Francisco Museum of Art in a photograph taken by Herbert Slodounik published in a 1963 issue of Life Magazine. The caption says: "It's Grate–But is it art?"
Close looking runs in the family. My father’s 1963 photograph published in LIFE Magazine.

When considering this class it is important to check that your schedule will allow you to attend all four sessions. (Recordings will available to stream for a limited time if you happen to miss.) The next course series will take place Tuesdays, May 23rd–June 20th and Thursdays, May 25–June 22nd.

How much does the workshop cost?
Workshops are on a sliding scale with a choice of $140, $240, and $300 for four, 1-hour sessions, plus a free orientation session. Please choose mindfully by considering your financial resources and my request for your support: these workshops are the primary way that I fund my work as a practicing art historian. If you attend all four sessions and find that the workshop hasn’t been helpful, simply email me for a refund.

Anything else I should know?
For the best experience, you will need access to a computer or tablet instead of a phone. Still have questions? Feel free to reach out.