Naomi Schoen

Schoen's "Adopt an Artist" program familiarizes students from low-income families with the lives, works, and styles of a variety of artists from many different cultures and periods of time. Through the use of biographical books and videos and hands-on activities, students learn to identify and match artists with their style and understand how elements such as line, shape, color, and shading create emotional reactions in art. Then groups of students each "adopt" an artist and create displays that highlight each artist's work and life. The program not only promotes art appreciation among students, but also enables parents to become actively involved in their child's learning.