Palo Alto Art Center facts for kids
| Formation | 1971 |
|---|---|
| Type | governmental organization |
| Purpose | arts, visual art education |
| Location |
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Key people
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Karen Kienzle (director, 2009) |
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Formerly called
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Palo Alto Community Cultural Center |
The Palo Alto Art Center is a fun place in Palo Alto, California, where everyone can enjoy art. It offers many art activities for people of all ages. The City of Palo Alto manages this center. A group called the Palo Alto Art Center Foundation also helps support it. You can find the center right next to Rinconada Park and the Rinconada Public Library.
Contents
History of the Art Center
The Palo Alto Art Center first opened in 1971. Back then, it was called the Palo Alto Community Cultural Center. The building itself was built in 1953. It used to be the City Hall for Palo Alto.
From 2010 to 2012, the building got a big makeover. They added more classrooms for art classes. They also built a special new area just for kids. In 2016, a local art collector named Paula Kirkeby passed away. Her printmaking equipment was given to the Art Center. Karen Kienzle has been the director of the Art Center since 2009.
What You Can Do at the Art Center
Art Classes and Workshops
The Art Center is a great place to learn about art. They have many art classes for both kids and adults. You can also join special workshops. During the summer, they offer fun summer camps.
Classes cover things like painting, drawing, and making pottery. They also have programs for schools. For example, Project Look offers field trips for students. The Cultural Kaleidoscope program brings students from different schools together for art activities.
Exhibitions and Events
You can visit the Art Center to see free art shows. These shows feature artwork made in many different ways. The center also hosts free events for everyone. Some popular events include Friday Night at the Art Center and Family Days.
They also have big annual events. These include The Great Glass Pumpkin Patch and the Clay and Glass Festival. The City of Palo Alto keeps a list of all past art shows.
Some interesting past exhibitions include:
- In 2017, an exhibition called Play! showed art about the power of playing.
- In 2018, Through That Which Is Seen featured amazing diorama art.
- In 2019, The Sheltering Sky displayed art about sky-related themes.
Outdoor Art and Sculptures
Sometimes, the Art Center has special outdoor art. In 2016, an artist named Patrick Dougherty created a temporary sculpture. It was called Whiplash. This sculpture was made from woven willow branches. It looked like a series of shelters. Many people loved taking photos with it. Volunteers helped build this artwork. It was taken down in June 2020.
The center has also shown art by many different artists. These include famous names like Picasso and Keith Haring. The Art Center also has an artists-in-residence program. This program lets artists work at the center. They also get to share their art with the public.
Images for kids
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Great Glass Pumpkin Patch 2018
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Art Activities at Circus Family Day 2018
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Circus Family Day 2018 - Nook Activity
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Friday Night at the Art Center - Nook Activity
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Ceramics and jewelry studio creations (2018 Holiday Sale)
