Parrish Art Museum Awarded New York State Art Teachers Association Special Citation / 2020

PARRISH ART MUSEUM AWARDED

NEW YORK STATE ART TEACHERS ASSOCIATION SPECIAL CITATION

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The Museum was recognized for its significant contribution to art education

Southampton Intermediate School teacher Jorge Moldanado and a group of 6^th graders,
Parrish teaching artist Wendy Gottlieb, and Artist in Residence Jeremy Dennis, 2019. Photo: Tom Kochie

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The Parrish Art Museum received a 2020 NYSATA Special Citation Business/Institution Award from New York State Art Teachers Association that was presented during a virtual ceremony at the agency’s This Is Art 2020 conference on November 20. In her letter to the Museum, NYSATA Awards and Honor Chairperson Cheryl Schweider congratulated the Parrish for its “outstanding service and commitment to Art Education.” The state-wide citations are awarded to organizations that have made a significant contribution to art education. Four organizations were honored this year.

“The Parrish Art Museum aims to support students and educators through exhibitions, programs, and resources,” said Education Director Cara Conklin-Wingfield. “The opportunity to work in partnership with NYSATA and The Watermill Center enabled us to connect with more teachers throughout the region. We are very grateful to be recognized for this work.”

The Parrish was nominated for the award by Lee Harned, retired art educator from Mattituck-Cutchogue School District. and member of the Parrish Education Committee. In her statement, Harned highlighted the Museum’s commitment to supporting art teachers, saying, “The Parrish Art Museum has provided free access to enrolled teachers, workshops free of charge, a reception and certificates for Professional Development hours.” Harned also cited the annual Student Exhibition, weekly studio art classes, summer art camps, weekend family art workshops, and Conklin-Wingfield’s commitment to professional development to support the nomination.

Last year, the Parrish created a series of professional development programs for regional educators, developed in partnership with NYSATA and The Watermill Center. Other important partnerships included a collaboration with six public school teachers from regional schools to respond to new state standards and school priorities through the program Art + Language. The collection-based curriculum was designed to enhance visual art, critical thinking, and language skills in 305 students. As part of the Museum’s annual Artist-in-Residence program, artists Irina Alimanestianu, Scott Bluedorn, and Bastienne Schmidt—featured in the special exhibition Artists Choose Artists—connected with 375 students from seven schools. Student art created during the residencies were included in the 2020 Student Exhibition, a 60-year tradition at the Museum featuring work by hundreds of students, K-12. After school community programs include weekly workshops for our partners at The Retreat and Southampton Youth Association.

Other initiatives that deepen relationships with adults, children, families, schools, and community organizations include Access Parrish, which provides visual art experiences for youth and adults with special needs and for individuals with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s Disease. In its fourth year, the program reached over 1,350 people through 67 specialized monthly programs in partnership with eight organizations. The Museum also launched an Art in Corrections program at Suffolk County Correctional Facility in Riverhead, working with teaching artists Monica Banks, Jeremy Dennis, Eric Dever, Laurie Lambrecht, Bastienne Schmidt, and Barbara Thomas.

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The Parrish Art Museum’s educational programming is supported, in part, by The Stanley and Fiona Druckenmiller Fund, Institute of Museum and Library Services, Long Island Community Foundation, May and Samuel Rudin Family Foundation, Robert Lehman Foundation, The John J. McDonnell Margaret T. O’Brien Foundation, Patricia and David Rung, William Talbott Hillman Foundation, Bobbie Braun/The Neuwirth Foundation, and Town of Southampton. Additional support for the Parrish education programs is provided by the Museum’s annual Spring Fling benefit fundraiser.

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About NYSATA

The New York State Art Teachers Association (NYSATA) is a non-profit professional organization founded in 1948 for the purpose of advancing the cause of art education by stimulating interest in the study of art in public, private and parochial schools and colleges in the state of New York; developing sensitivity to and encouraging participation in the visual art; securing wider recognition of the vital importance of education through art; encouraging carry-over of school art education into the artistic, social and home life of the individual; fostering professional growth and leadership among the members of the organization; and voicing our concerns with regard to policies and legislation that effect art education.

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Parrish Art Museum

Inspired by the natural setting and artistic life of Long Island’s East End, the Parrish Art Museum illuminates the creative process and how art and artists transform our experiences and understanding of the world and how we live in it. The Museum fosters connections among individuals, art, and artists through care and interpretation of the collection, presentation of exhibitions, publications, educational initiatives, programs, and artists-in-residence. The Parrish is a center for cultural engagement, an inspiration and destination for the region, the nation, and the world.