AT THE ALLEN / FALL 2023 / 21 HIGHLIGHT / COMMUNITY OUTREACH LIFE LONG LEARNING Since 2015, curator Kevin Greenwood has delivered a series of art historical lectures to packed crowds fromKendal at Oberlin, a nearby senior living facility. Through Kendal’s Life Long Learning Series, which hosts speakers to share their expertise with the retirement community, Greenwood has been able to give eight popular lecture series, many based on the presentations he gave as a college professor in his career before the Allen. Often, the lectures correspond with exhibitions on view in the museum, allowing interested Kendal residents to come see the art in person. “The folks at Kendal are so engaged, curious, and have a tremendous wealth of knowledge to ask incisive questions,” says Greenwood. Other speakers at Kendal have included curators Jill Greenwood, and Hannah Kinney. Curator SamAdams will be presenting in the fall. HIGHLIGHT / COMMUNITY OUTREACH SUMMER CAMP “We love working with partner institutions to improve visual literacy in children throughout the region. The experience of seeing, discussing, and thinking about original works of art is at the core of what we do. When I was a kid, it changedmy life and we want to create that opportunity for the next generation.” —Jill Greenwood This summer was full of tours, crafting, and art exploration through summer camp collaborations. The Allen’s Education Department consisting of Jill Greenwood, Alyssa Traster, and Ellis Lane partnered with eight organizations throughout Lorain County to reach more than 400 kids in a single summer. The Allen’s teamworked closely with camp staff to connect programing to themes and benchmarks of their curriculum. Jill Greenwood, Eric & Jane Nord Family Curator of Education, says, “We center close looking and object-based learning to expand vocabulary and critical thinking skills. The projects provide a comfortable environment for children to share their own interpretations, support their ideas through empirical reasoning, and from that, structure their observations towards historical interpretations about the works of art.” For many of the camps, an interactive tour in the museumwas followed by a free, hands-on activity based on artworks that they had a chance to see in person. From collage to pastel drawing, the Allen provides materials and support for the children to create in a wide variety of methods. This art-making experience is supplemented with lessons that ground the craft in the history of its medium, technique, or subject.
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