A: Is for Children and Art!

A fund raiser dear to my heart was held tonight at Phillips de Pury for The Children's Museum of Art located at 182 Layfette. A live auction hosted by supermodel Iman wife of David Bowie mother of Alexandria was wonderfully auctioned by Aileen Agopian. Tonight was one of the reasons New York is so amazing. Andy Warhol's photo of Yves Saint Laurent went for $25,000 and Jordan Eagles "New Blood" went for a record $30,000, but it was all for a great cause. Bruce Weber, David Salle (who has created a piece specifically for this event!) and Yoko Ono were also represented. It was a pleasure to talk to Roberto Camacho from Buchbinder and Warren who lost by a mere 5,000 the Warhol piece. His generosity of spirit showed that people still care in giving.

The Children's Museum of the Arts provides stimulating, interactive exhibitions and programs for children under ten years old, encouraging them to develop their full creative potential through the visual and performing arts. The CMA is like an art studio for kids. The exhibits are actually workspaces where children can experiment with creating their own art and there are plenty of materials for sculpting and making collages. Everything in the museum is cut to half size, so adults might feel like they have entered Gulliver's Travels and the land of the lilliputians. There are several areas and each offers a unique way to encourage and help your child grow in artistic expression The creative play area designed for children five and under, and includes the Art House for slide viewing, the WEE (Wondrous, Experimenting and Exploring) Art Station, and other interactive exhibits. The Artist’s Studio is designed for children over five, and is reminiscent of a working artist’s studio. Children find daily art projects that encourage problem solving and exploration of a variety of artistic materials. The Artist’s Studio also welcomes artists from the community to work side-by-side with children. The Actor’s Studio offers costumes, musical instruments and story starters to encourage character development and expression of ideas through acting. The Ball Pond is designed as a kinesthetic experience for all children to allow movement and motor skill play. It is a cushioned area filled with large, brightly colored physioballs. The surrounding environment evokes the feeling of being surrounded by water through the color, light and texture of materials used. Often used as a warm-up activity, the Ball Pond allows children to get comfortable in the Museum. Magnetic Masterpieces are reproductions of famous artworks, cut into magnetic puzzle pieces, and displayed for children to arrange. These large-format puzzles focus on the three themes of portraiture, landscape, and abstraction, and showcase artists of diverse age, gender, and race. Information about the artist and the era in which he/she lived is available, and this activity has proven to be a successful method for parents and children to talk about art. Is your child the next Stephen Spielberg? The CMA media lab has been featured in the Tribecca Film Festival. If you are looking for a great place to spend your child's birthday there is no better place than here. Looking for a Halloween treat that doesn't cause cavities? Sunday, October 26th a day of spooky surprises, Halloween projects for all ages, and a Costume Fashion Show! The Annual Trick or Treat Parade is available upon admission and will begin at 3pm sharp. Everything is included with the price of admission. CMA members are invited to a Halloween Kick-off party from 10am - 12pm, featuring a Sugar Skull Workshop with Chef Rene Ortiz. For more information visit www.cmany.org

Art is the purest form of human expression and that is an encouraging F.A.C.T.