Any parent with a fridge covered in finger paintings can tell you that one of the first ways kids express their creativity is through visual art. Whether your little one prefers drawing, painting, sculpting, bookmaking or basket-weaving, experts say that exposure to art from an early age can improve motor skills, coordination, concentration, and of course, creative abilities. In fact, when we asked the following child artists from venues across the city to tell us about an art project they’re particularly proud of, we found both their chosen pieces and their answers to be, well, pretty creative.

Anzia Anderson, 13

Young Artists Program, Educational Alliance

How did you come up with the idea for this piece?

I had never painted a portrait before, and I thought that it would be an interesting challenge. Instead of painting objects, I would be painting something with a personality.

Does the piece have a name?

The name is “Andrew,” which is the name of the person that I painted.

Why are you proud of this particular piece? 

I think that I did the shadows really well, and also it looks a lot like the person I painted.

What do you like about the classes at the Educational Alliance’s Young Artists Program?

I have been taking art classes here for almost two years, and in that time I learned how to paint in oils. I like how in the painting classes, the focus is on learning how to paint rather than completing paintings.

Julien Sella, 5

The Art Farm In The City

How did you come up with the idea for this piece of art?

Playing Star Wars games.

Does the piece have a name?

“Man Falling From Spaceship.”

What do you like about taking art classes at The Art Farm?

I like painting different subjects and I like the teachers.

What do you want to be when you grow up? 

A warrior.

Nate Cohen, 12

art@home

How did you come up with the idea for this piece?

Throughout my years of creating artwork, I have been told from every single teacher that inspiration is always all around you. While wondering what to illustrate, [my teacher] Donna and I just looked out the window and thought that the tree right next to my window was a great thing to draw.

Does the piece have a name?

When I look at this image it reminds me of the time of day when it becomes dark and mysterious. That is how I came up with the name of this piece: “The Tree of Dusk.”

What do you like about taking art classes with art@home?

What I love about taking art classes with art@home is that I am able to do my artwork and expand my abilities in the comfortable surroundings of my own home. It really helps me feel more relaxed and focused. 

Do you have a favorite artist?

Of course! James De La Vega. He walks the streets of New York City and writes “Become Your Dream” on thrown away objects or sidewalk blocks. I think that although the message is three dull words, together they become the most important comment a person could hear. 

What do you want to be when grow up?

When I grow up I would like to become a successful architect. I want to design unique and amazing buildings like the one you would see in a movie and think to yourself, “Isn’t that the building right across from the .....?”

Teo Dench Garcia, 6

HiArt!

What medium did you use to create this piece? How long did it take to complete?

I used white paint, black paint, gold and green glitter. And I stuck stuff from a magazine, and leaves from the street and see-through stuff.

How long did it take to complete the piece?

I don’t know, really. Like 100 minutes?

Does the piece have a name?

“Wasting Money.”

What do you like about taking art classes at HiArt?

The pictures that the artists draw when we go to visit galleries.

Do you have a favorite artist?

Sarah Sze.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

A chef.

Julia Heller, 6

Kids at Art

How did you come up with the idea for this piece of art?

It came from a family photo.

Does the piece have a name?

“My Family Portrait.”

Why are you proud of this particular piece? 

Because it’s my family.

What do you like about taking art classes at Kids at Art?

I like to draw and I like [my teacher] Wendy a lot.

Do you have a favorite painting?

Oh yes—the Degas dancers!

Annika Ludwig, 6

Moomah

How did you come up with the idea for this piece?

The music at Moomah reminded me of monsters. DAH, dah, DAH…very low. That part was kind of scary.

What did you use to create it? How long did it take to complete?

Feathers, the black letter R, two spoons, tissue paper, all on regular paper with pencil and cardboard. It took about, um, twenty minutes? No, eighteen minutes. It took eighteen minutes.

Does the piece have a name?

The monster’s name is Todd.

What do you like about taking art classes at Moomah?

They’re fun. And they have so many cool materials to use. (And they have good chocolate chip cookies!)

Do you have a favorite artist?

I love Mo Willems.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I want to be a professor of crime policy like my daddy.

Pia Mileaf-Patel, 12

Children’s Museum of the Arts

How did you come up with the idea for this piece?

This painting is of my room when I had a sleepover with my friend, Sofia. We were trying on clothes that were all goofy and ridiculous. In the class, we were asked to capture elements of life in 2010. By painting my room, I could include lots of aspects of my daily life and also what my friends and I do for fun.

Does the piece have a name?

Right now, I would just call it “My Bedroom” because that’s where the scene takes place, but it could also be called “Sleepover.”

Why are you proud of this particular piece? 

It really looks like my bedroom. My closet shows the clothes bulging out of it, just like in real life, but my teacher recommended that I put a wash in the background, which I did in black. It really made the clothes pop out and it looked even more like my closet after that.

What do you like about taking art classes at the Children’s Museum of the Arts?

The teachers let us explore our own drawing and painting style, but they also introduced us to new techniques and medium. We took some trips to look at things in the world to capture in our paintings, which helped a lot with inspiration.

Do you have a favorite artist?

My favorite artist is Tim Burton. I love his movies and art. I spent hours in his exhibit at MoMA.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I want to be a fashion designer. When I sit down to draw, 95 percent of the time I end up drawing shoes or clothes. In this painting, there are clothes all over the room.

Where To Take Art In NYC

74th St. MAGIC, 510 East 74th Street, 212-737-2989.
92ND Street Y, 1395 Lexington Avenue, 212-415-5500.
apple seeds, 10 West 25th Street, 212-792-7590.
ArtKids, 646-678-4497.
ArtsCetera, 212 Smith Street, Brooklyn, 718-643-6817.
The Art Farm In The City, 419 East 91st Street, 212-410-3117.
art@home, contact Donna Levinstone at 917-459-3617.
Blue School, 432 Lafayette, Mezzanine, 646-602-7066.
Body and Spirit Program, Rutgers Presbyterian Church, 236 West 73rd Street, 212-877-8227.
Brooklyn Arts Exchange, 421 Fifth Avenue, Brooklyn, 718-832-0018.
Children’s Museum of the Arts, 182 Lafayette Street, 212-274-0986.
Children’s Museum of Manhattan, 212 West 83rd Street, 212-721-1223.
Church Street School for Music and Art, 74 Warren Street, 212-571-7294.
Citibabes, 52 Mercer Street, 3rd Floor, 212-334-5440.
The Craft Studio, 1657 Third Avenue, 212-831-6626.%u2028
Discovery Programs, 251 West 100th Street, 212-749-8717.
Gymboree Play & Music, Various locations in Manhattan, 877-496-5327.
Gymtime Rhythm & Glues, 1520 York Avenue, 212-861-7732.
HiArt!, 227 West 29 Street Studio 4R, 212-209-1552.
The JCC in Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Avenue, 646-505-4444.
Kids at Art, 431 East 73rd Street, 212-410-9780.
Kids at Work, 242 West 27th Street, Suite 4A, 347-933-8293.
Kidville, Various locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn, 212-772-8435.
Little Shop Of Crafts, 711 Amsterdam Avenue, 212-531-2723; 431 East 73rd Street, 212-717-6636.
Loop of the Loom, 227 East 87th Street, 212-722-2686.
Make Meaning, 329 Columbus Avenue, 212-362-0350. %u2028
Metropolitan Moms, 212-206-7272.
Moomah, 161 Hudson Street, 212-226-0345.  
New York Kids Club, Various locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn, 212-721-4400.
Private Picassos, 179 Dahlgren Place, Brooklyn, 917-463-8609.
School of Visual Arts, 209 East 23rd Street, 212-592-2445.
Scribble Press, 1624 First Avenue, 212-288-2928; 217 West 84th Street, 212-362-2555.
Wet Paint Art Studio, 118 Chambers Street, 2nd Basement, 212-227-6848.
The Y’s, ymcanyc.org.
Young Artists Program, Educational Alliance, 197 East Broadway, 646-395-4237.
Young Artist Studio, 400 East 89th Street, 212-861-1650.