When I faced my first virtual classroom, I felt daunted. As a docent with the San José Museum of Art’s free education programs Let’s Look at Art and Art in the Dark, I have delivered art presentations to kindergarten–12th grade students in Santa Clara County for 35 years. My fellow volunteers and I had never taught virtually until the COVID-19 pandemic, but we soon discovered that this was an opportunity to engage students in a new way. Over this year, we presented to 20,000 students!
In the midst of the lockdown, I saw firsthand how art opens up the world to young people. One student told me, “It’s good to influence kids like me to become artists as a career or a hobby. Art can really give you a different perspective of how you see the world.” Through presentations that relate art to classroom curriculum, such as Mexican Art and Activism and Civil Rights in America, students understand their place in history—and how they can make an impact. My personal favorite course, Ancient Civilizations, encourages students to relate their lives to different cultures and recognize the ways we are all connected.
Let’s Look at Art is just one of the many ways that SJMA inspires creativity and civic engagement. To continue the work of SJMA both in and out of the classroom, would you please consider joining my husband Barry and me in making a gift to support the Museum’s education programs and exhibitions?
SJMA’s community and educational impact this year was made possible by supporters like you. In March, the Museum reopened after months of closure, providing a platform for the contemplation of topics such as identity formation, collective resistance, and the environment. The in-gallery exhibitions Break + Bleed,Hito Steyerl: Factory of the Sun, and Our whole, unruly selves showcase the wide breadth of SJMA’s permanent collection, while commissioned projects from forward-thinking artists Sofía Córdova,Rashaad Newsome,Trevor Paglen, and Clare Rojas invite visionary inquiry and curiosity from outside the walls of the Museum.
Thank you for considering a gift to the San José Museum of Art. We look forward to welcoming the new year with you!
