Following Thursday’s Mad. Sq. Kids concert featuring the lively, soul-and-jazz-inspired stylings of Shine and the Moonbeams, the Oval Lawn of Mad. Sq. Park was filled with unusual music of a very different kind!

Mad. Sq. Kids kicked off the summer with our first Family Art Workshop of the season in conjunction with the current Mad. Sq. Art exhibition, Pet Sounds by California-based artist Charles Long. The kiddies – and parents – played, touched, and interacted with the long, colorful railings and strange, biomorphic shapes that comprise the exhibition, and then had the opportunity to make their very own musical art projects inspired by the work. Using simple materials of sturdy paper tubes covered with waxpaper at one end, the kids decorated their works with unique, colorful, and glittery designs. The little ones ran throughout the Park and around the exhibition, blowing into their artworks to make fun sounds and vibrations, just like the vibrating forms of Pet Sounds!

We were THRILLED that artist Charles Long was there to help with the project and speak with our little budding artists and parents, who happily chatted about art and shared the inspirations behind the exhibition. For example, the pink “blob” in the exhibition was cast from a piece of used chewing gum!

THANKS to all of the parents, grandparents, kids, and caretakers who came out to help the little ones share their creative and gorgeous artwork with us, and emphasize the importance of art in our daily lives!

And a special, BIG MAD. SQ. PK. THANK YOU to the inimitable Charles Long for joining us yesterday and sharing his wonderful vision, energy, enthusiasm, and love of art to the next generation of artists.