Creativity at Work: the Kennedy Day School Art Show

The Kennedy Day School, located onsite at Franciscan Hospital for Children, provides fully collaborative special education, therapeutic, and health services to students, ages 3 to 22, with significant, complex needs from more than 30 cities and towns across Massachusetts. If you have questions regarding the Kennedy Day School, please contact Lynne Goyuk at lgoyuk@fhfc.org  or 617-779-1113.

Kennedy Day School students saw a pre-made Picasso head and worked on using adjectives to describe it. They also worked on identifying facial features and used various fabrics and prints to create their head.

Every day, the Kennedy Day School (KDS) inspires confidence with comprehensive and sophisticated education, healthcare and related services, helping each student find the courage to reach their full potential. Across all programs – from Adaptive Physical Education to Vision Services, Assistive Technology to Vocational Education – our staff is constantly utilizing creative solutions to address the unique needs of each learner.

The Project Excel program is no exception to that creativity. Offering a variety of vocational opportunities for students ages 14 and older, Project Excel provides students with realistic and positive learning experiences in a work environment.

Students chose from various Georgia O’Keeffe images and created their own art piece using chalk and sponges. They felt the difference between things hard and soft.

Kathy Finnigan, a Kennedy Day School teacher and the Project Excel program leader, is always looking for fun and unique vocational opportunities for her students. Four years ago, she had the idea to incorporate artwork. “Our students, like all people, need ways to express themselves and be creative,” Kathy says. “I thought, why not give them a job creating artwork to be showcased once a year in a museum or art show of their own?”

Each year in June, the Kennedy Day School hosts students and their families for their annual Family Picnic. An opportunity to celebrate their students’ accomplishments throughout the year, Kathy and her team incorporated the KDS Art Show into the festivities. While the picnic itself is held outdoors on Wake Field, parents and families also filter into the building to experience the students’ artwork for themselves.

Students captured painter Marc Chagall’s stunning talents through creating a “stained glass” window of their own, mimicking a piece by Chagall which expressed the simplicity and beauty of the ideals of peace and brotherhood.

The Chamberlain Conference Center is temporarily transformed into the Kennedy Day School Annual Art Show, and guests are transported into a space that more so resembles an exhibit at the MFA than a conference room at Franciscan Hospital for Children. Pieces range from sculptures, to paintings, to photographs and more, all reflective of the Show’s chosen theme.

This year’s theme was Known and Not-So-Known Artists. Students spent approximately six weeks per “unit” studying various artists, talking about their styles, identifying themes in their work, and creating masterpieces of their own that mimicked each artist in their own, unique way. Pieces of artwork are created throughout the year but are kept a surprise for the Art Show, which adds a sense of excitement for the students, families and staff.

Students created these prints based on the work of Guiseppe Arcimoldo. They painted and imprinted with various fruits and vegetables – the same kinds of objects Arcimboldo used to compose his imaginative pieces. Experiencing scents and textures was part of the creative process!

During each unit, the process of creating each masterpiece is based on ability and helping students achieve their individual goals. Some students focus on building sensory processing skills – overcoming aversions to various textures with gradual encouragement to get messy and step out of their comfort zone. Similarly, other students focus on the introduction of multiple sensory experiences – holding paint brushes, dipping brushes in paint, working with teachers through hand-over-hand guidance, finger painting, sculpting clay and more.

Each unit also presents opportunities for building skills related to technology. Students who are strong augmentative communication and assistive technology device users may approach art projects differently, with stronger emphasis on developing speech-language communication skills vs. fine motor skills. Choice making comes into play as well, with students communicating the colors and materials they want incorporated into their artwork, along with where those pieces should go – top or bottom? Left or right? Other students working on typing and research use Google to find information and biographies for each artist, improving their computer and technology skills.

Using various materials and items, students created their own artwork mimicking Jasper John’s famous painting, “Flag.”

The outcome of each unit – beautiful pieces of artwork reflective of not only the artists’ styles but of the creativity and talent of each student who made them. “The artwork is beautiful, but the pride that we see in our students when they’ve created something themselves is the really incredible outcome.” Kathy says. “Each unit is an opportunity for them to discover new talents and likes.”

As you walk around the annual Art Show, it’s impossible not to feel proud on the students’ behalf. The pieces are stunning and, after chatting with Kathy and other Kennedy Day School staff who have been a part of the creative process, you find a whole new appreciation for the amount of thought and effort that went into each one. Each professional artist’s unit has a space in the room, with the students’ artwork thoughtfully displayed. Printed captions accompany each exhibit, giving a brief bio for each artist, descriptions of the themes you might find in their artwork, and examples of their most famous pieces. It’s these small details that truly complete the overall look and feel of a real Art Show.

Students had opportunities to choose watercolors and then mix their color choice to make the paint. They looked at unfamiliar shapes used in many of Matisse’s artwork, and glued the shapes to a ball to create their own pieces.

You’ll also notice small post-it notes with names next to various pieces, a sign that the artwork has been sold to a new owner. “The first year we hosted the Art Show multiple people asked if the pieces were for sale.” Kathy reflects. “It was something we hadn’t thought about at the time, but gradually it has grown to be a highly anticipated part of the event.”

Staff and families who visit the Show are able to, on a first-come, first-served basis, purchase the artwork… and the pieces are snatched up quickly! Price is based on an honor system – what each buyer is willing to give – with all proceeds to go toward a good cause. In the past, the money raised from the Art Show has been donated to a school in Pakistan for underprivileged children. This year, nearly $600.00 will go toward Bug’s Bikes, a local non-profit organization that helps fund adaptive bikes for children, to help fund an adaptive bike for a KDS student.

Students visited the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston as a part of their program, exploring various exhibits and talking about their experiences. They even had a chance to visit an art studio for an introductory class on clay art and created sculptures based on a word that they picked at random!

Yet another captivating example of the incredible talent and playfulness present every day at the Kennedy Day School, the Art Show is truly owned by our students from start to finish. It’s their hard work that steals the show each year, illustrating the beauty and creativity that results from working hard and stepping out of your comfort zone!