Take a peak at past Artwork Outs designed to give your brain a stretch.
Don't forget to visit the Community Galleries to see how others used their imagination to tackle each exercise and learn more about which NYC location is the inspiration behind the activity.
1. Flowers for Marsha
Let your imagination bloom as we honor the legendary Marsha P. Johnson's vibrant spirit through art! In this engaging exercise, makers creatively fill her iconic crown with colorful, playful, or even abstract flowers.
I decided to take inspiration from palm trees to transport my Marsha into a tropical escapade.
2. A Dinner with Madness
In this whimsical exercise inspired by the Alice in Wonderland sculpture in Central Park, makers decorate their own dinner tablescape. In the book, the Dormouse tells a story about 3 girls who only draw things beginning with M, including mousetraps, memory and muchness. So, to honor the book, draw things beginning with M as features of your drawing!
I went with a monarch butterfly, a mango and matcha cake, morning glories, and mushrooms covered in chocolate.
3. Sea Creature Feature
Get inspired by the summer magic of the largest art parade in the US! For this creative exercise, we asked makers to design their own version of the flyer for Coney Island's legendary Mermaid Parade. but filled with fantastic marine beasts of their own imagination.
To embody the parade spirit, part of the art exercise is to consider how the sea creature rides into the parade. I enjoyed making a Conch Queen arriving to Coney Island on a special shell chariot.
4. Storefront Dreams
Step into the magic of New York’s most eclectic blocks as you dream up a storefront all your own! In this exercise, makers imagine thriving business, the kind where the personality spills right out onto the sidewalk.
I had fun designing a chic bug‑antennae boutique where stylish insects come to snag the latest headgear, inspired by the bold, fashion‑forward storefronts of Soho.
5. The Balancing Act
Channel the wonder of a traveling circus as you create a daring act perched atop a mighty elephant! Makers are invited to flip, rotate, and play with the composition. The template is designed so that the elephant can even be turned upside down while dreaming up performers who defy gravity with flair.
For my version, I imagined a Forest Park troupe of NYC woodland animals teaming up for a topsy‑turvy balancing routine in the treetops.
6. Colorful Commutes
Transform your daily ride into a work of art by designing a stained‑glass panel for an NYC subway station! In this exercise, makers mimic the glow of glass to create vibrant art. The goal is to transform a moment of color in the underground rush.
I took inspiration from the classic tale of the turtle and the hare to turn their race into a glowing window.
