A New Giant Object for Children to Paint
Get ready for a day of artistic wonder as The New Children’s Museum presents its highly anticipated 11th annual Mass Creativity Day on Saturday, June 24. The event promises excitement with the unveiling of a brand new, massive object for visitors to paint on the vibrant Paint Patio. The grand reveal will mark the beginning of the Mass Creativity Day festivities, starting at 9:30 a.m., and attendees will have the exclusive opportunity to make their mark on this exciting new canvas.
Since 1994, the Painted Object has captivated Museum visitors, providing a beloved activity for creative expression. Over the years, visitors have splattered paint on a variety of large-scale objects, including a 1954 Truck, a VW Bug, Penelope the Whale, Junk Yard, Paint Farm, Go West!, and the recent Flower Truck. While the object itself may change, the concept remains the same—a massive and unconventional canvas for children to unleash their creativity through paint.
In a departure from previous iterations, the new Painted Object is a life-size sculpture crafted by artists Ingram Ober and Marisol Rendón. Seeking inspiration directly from children, the Museum organized a Painted Object Design Challenge workshop in its makerspace, The Rosso Family Foundation Innovators LAB, during the spring. Participants let their imaginations soar as they drew and constructed model sculptures using recycled materials. Three captivating concepts emerged from the workshop—The Skate Cat, The Something, and The Loving Dragon. The public had the opportunity to vote for their favorite, determining which concept would become the next Painted Object.
Reflecting on the design process, Rendón and Ober expressed their admiration, stating, “The collective design process was truly inspiring. While we created models for three concepts, over 150 unique designs were submitted, showcasing impressive creativity. We wish we could bring them all to life.” This collaboration builds upon their past work with the Museum, including Rendón’s celebrated Wobbleland installation.
The highly anticipated reveal of the new Painted Object will take place during Mass Creativity Day—an extraordinary celebration of art, creativity, and community. The day will feature captivating live performances, engaging art-making activities for families, delicious food options, and free admission to the Museum throughout the day.
Mass Creativity Day marks the culmination of the Museum’s signature Mass Creativity program, which conducted free art-making workshops at seven different community centers across San Diego County from April to June. This year’s theme, The Realm of Joy, draws inspiration from artist Wes Bruce’s installation, The Wonder Sound, at the Museum. Community members enthusiastically participated in these workshops, creating wind chimes, buttons, vision boards, poems, and painting giant canvases in response to the prompt, “What brings you joy?” These remarkable artworks will be showcased at Mass Creativity Day. Participating community organizations include Barrio Logan College Institute, Casa Familiar, City Heights Weingart Library, Skyline Hills Library, The Hillcrest Youth Center by The San Diego LGBT Community Center, Solutions for Change, and SBCS (South Bay Community Services).
Gabrielle Wyrick, Chief Curator and Director of Audience Engagement at The New Children’s Museum, expressed the program’s mission, stating, “The Mass Creativity program aims to engage our community in the art-making process and foster a sense of connection with the artworks and installations within our museum. Mass Creativity Day, a day of celebration and community, provides the perfect opportunity to unveil the new Painted Object—an artwork that embodies the ideas sourced directly from our young visitors, making them an integral part of the art-making process.”
The day of celebration will feature captivating performances by Naruwan Taiko, Monarch School Dance, transcenDANCE, AbunDANCE with Keomi Tarver, and engaging storytelling
For more information about the program, visit: thinkplaycreate.org
Address: Museum Park, 200 W. Island Avenue (across form Museum) San Diego
When: Saturday, June 24, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
New Painted Object Reveal at 9:30 a.m.
Photo credits: All images are courtesy of Coronado Ferry Landing
