Multicultural Student Art at Budding Roots Exhibit

Art Resource Collaborative for Kids (ARCK) is pleased to announce ARCK and Coldwell Banker: BUDDING ROOTS, an exhibition of artwork from students at ARCK’s partner school Gardner Pilot Academy as well as ARCK’s founder and executive director, Sara Mraish Demeter. As a nonprofit organization dedicated to offering arts educational programming to Boston Public School students from underserved communities, ARCK is eager to showcase some of its students’ projects, which forge cultural understanding and community-building.

The exhibit will run from May 15th to June 15th at Coldwell Banker in Belmont. The garden party-themed opening reception will be held on May 24th from 6-7:30pm at Coldwell, and will include hor d'oeuvres catered by Foodies Markets, wine, games, goodie bags for kids, as well as the opportunity to participate in an art project.

ARCK's 7th grade students at Gardner Pilot Academy in Allston created these pieces for the "My Roots" project, a mixed-media exploration of identity and background that is part of its Leadership module. ARCK's curriculum is divided into three modules -- Leadership, Civic Engagement, and Social Justice -- that each use art integrated with academics as a vehicle for social impact. The “My Roots” project is inspired by Atlanta-based artist Radcliffe Bailey, who uses environmental materials such as Georgia red clay, seawater, and his own DNA in works that explore themes of ancestry, race, and memory. In their artwork, students incorporated text from "I Am From" poems they wrote during their humanities class into a colorful environment of layered paint. Some students used marker to emphasize words that have a special connection with their identity or culture.

ARCK founder Sara Mraish Demeter is a proud US citizen who emigrated from Jordan. In her new works presented here, Sara explores her own identity and culture by blending abstract painting techniques with Arabic calligraphy, with the goal of creating bridges across cultures and sharing messages of peace and hope.

About ARCK

Art Resource Collaborative for Kids (ARCK), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 2012, partners with Boston public schools to offer arts integration programming during in-school time free to students. ARCK’s mission is to empower students through high-quality arts education that fosters culture and community while supporting schools’ learning objectives. Our core program, offered to students in grades K-8, uses STEM-infused visual arts education as a vehicle for engaging students in academics and developing 21st century skills. Through artmaking, students develop competency and understanding in three main areas: leadership, civic engagement, and social justice.

One of ARCK’s overarching goals is to engage families and communities in local children’s education and growth. This art exhibition and collaboration with Coldwell Banker is an opportunity for young students to share their creations and reflections not only with school peers and staff, but with family members, friends, and adults in the wider community.