Maya McFadden Photo
Students get to creating in new art space.
A new home for student art making, self-expression, and relaxation opened Thursday at the Boys and Girls Club of New Haven.
Students, staff, creators, and supporters joined for a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the new art space at the club’s 253 Columbus Ave. location.
The art space was transformed from an unused old locker room with the help of a $25,000 grant from Michaels jewelers and support from the Seedling Foundation and the City of New Haven.
Dozens of after-school program students joined with Interim Executive Director Barbara Chesler, Mayor Justin Elicker, Michaels District Manager Thomas Lefsyk, and local artist Jesse Wolf to cut the ribbon and start making art in the new space.
Josh Machiote cuts art space ribbon.
After the Thursday ribbon-cutting employees of Michaels joined the students for a paint craft project.
Newman Architects, PC provided the club with pro bono design work for the studio.
The art studio is decorated with a wall resembling a New York subway; it reads, “create.” It features another wall celebrating artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, a chalk board wall covered in student tags, and a wall reading, “The Art Stop,” over a water landscape.
Wolf, the club’s art specialist, was able to freestyle the art studio’s wall art. He started painting in the beginning of March and finished Wednesday. He also celebrated the birth of his newborn son Monday. “I put everything into this, and now I’m tired,” he remarked Thursday.
“I manifested this,” Wolf said. “It’s my dream to work with the next generation of artists.”
Josh Machiote, Jesse Wolf, Justin Elicker.
Josh Machiote, 11, was one of several students who helped Wolf paint the space. He said he looks forward to being at the space because art relaxes him.
In 2017, Wolf worked at the club as a counselor. For three years he worked with students and occasionally did art with them. Wolf met Josh. and the two created a mentor bond over art. Josh now makes and sells his own art.
A month before Wolf began painting the new art space, he volunteered to paint murals in the New Haven Department of Child and Family Services visitation rooms in February. In 2020 he also was a lead artist who designed the Black Lives Matter Temple Street mural.
During Black History Month, Wolf created a curriculum that introduced the students to Black artists, including Basquiat.
Wolf said he looks forward to teaching his students different craft forms and bringing sewing machines and recording equipment into the space to introduce students to all forms of art.
Families, students, and visitors took a tour of the studio Wednesday after the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Students filled the room after the ceremony to work with Michaels staff on spill paint art made by using popsicle sticks to brush the spilled paint around.
“Arts are a key element for the development of young people,” said Anita Dowdy, a Boys and Girls Club educator of 26 years.
Watch the celebration below.
Thank you to Michaels Jewelers, the Seedling Foundation, the City of New Haven, Newman Architects, PC, and Jesse Wolf and everyone rise who donated and volunteered to make this arts space happen for the Boys and Girls Club. It’s a childhood dream to have access to all these art supplies.