12/4/15

Environmentalism: It’s up to YOU to teach the young

It’s December and there are just 11 days left for children to enter the 2015 kids art contest, and all ages to enter the photo contest. As I watch artworks and photos trickle in, I’m wondering (as I did in 2013) why aren’t more people participating? (read >> The Young Environmental Artist)

I see a pattern here. The climate talks are on in Paris, but most are just talkers and not doers. It’s not enough to “like” and share pictures and articles on social media, and not actually do something to show you care.

My own Jersey City made me proud last year with close to 200 students from 17 schools submitting artworks. In addition, we received artworks from 17 states in the US and 32 countries around the world. The total last year was close to 1000 pieces of creative expression. It was marvelous! The winning artworks were celebrated online and in 3 well received exhibitions including an exhibition in Jersey City’s City Hall.

Jersey City is a culturally active area with a large artist community, and yet these same artists, many who have children, aren’t participating either. So, I’m back to wondering why it’s easier for me to reach parents and teachers in other countries and not those in my own area?

I’m asking you now… educators and parents to explain to the young why they should care about wildlife and the environment and I’ll continue to do my part to help amphibians and the environment too.

Please make me proud by entering today!

Susan Newman,
Founder, Frogs Are Green, Inc.
A NJ nonprofit organization – “Healthy frogs mean a healthy planet for all.”

Below is one of my favorite entries from 2014.

1st Place Winner, Kardelen Koc, Turkey, Frogs Are Green Kids Art Contest 2014, age 3-6 group

1st Place Winner 2014, Kardelen Koc, Turkey, Frogs Are Green Kids Art Contest 2014, age 3-6 group

09/27/15

Washington Park LIVE 2015 and Frogs Are Green

Frogs Are Green began setting up the organization’s tent at 9 am! This year, thanks to the Washington Park Association, we had an incredible spot in the front of the “Washington Park LIVE” festival with a large tent, grid bars tied to the back, and two tables! One table for displaying educational information such as our books: the teaching resource curriculum, “Frogs, Amphibians and Their Threatened Environment,” and previewing our next book, “Rainforest Frogs,” which features Haiku poetry by Caley Vickerman, illustrations by Mark Lerer, a foreword by Franco Andreone, and designed by founder, Susan Newman. We also had on display materials about the contests being open right now, the 6th Annual Kids Art Contest & the 7th Annual Photography Contest. On the back grid we hung our posters to draw the eyes… and it worked! It was so interesting hearing which posters visitors liked the most… I’ll be ordering a bunch more of each of those!

The second table we covered with some mounted posters which were tapped down, as an inspirational guide of frog image reference for visitors. Those that wanted to draw frogs, they were right there on the table! On hand were colored pencils, crayons, markers, lots of paper and even frog stickers.

We greeted over 130 people of all ages during the day, and everyone enjoyed creating frogart. You’ll see from the gallery of images below both children and adults got into it. This was our most successful event yet as we sold out of our t-shirts and a bunch of posters.

We also enjoyed dancing to the music being played on the sound stage right near us, and there were plenty of food truck vendors for us to taste assorted delights, such as lobster rolls and chocolate treats.

I look forward to seeing the photos by others showing what else was happening around us.

05/22/15

Frogs Are Green Opening Reception in City Hall Rotunda, Jersey City

Thank you to the Jersey City teachers, students, park association leaders, frog art fans, Jersey City Cultural Affairs and the media who attended the opening reception for “Frogs and Their Threatened Environment” in the City Hall Rotunda on Wednesday, May 20th, 2015.

Thanks to Greg Brickey and Elizabeth Cain of Cultural Affairs for their support and displaying the artwork so beautifully. Thanks to Mayor Steven Fulop for caring about frogs and the environment.

It was so rewarding to meet the students whose work I had admired these past months.

JC1TV (Stan Eason) was there and recorded a video with me, Susan Newman, founder of Frogs Are Green, Inc., about the frog art show and the issues frogs face; Ann Marley, JCBOE Regional Art Manager talked about how together we coordinated the project and an amazing 17 schools responded with 150-200 works and the plans we have for this coming Fall. (The 6th Annual Kids Art Contest will open on September 1, details coming soon.) Included in the video will be interviews with the teachers and students who were there.

Below is gallery and video forthcoming.

Frogs Are Green showcases international student artworks in City Hall Rotunda, May 2015.

Mory Thomas of Washington Park Association attends Frogs Are Green's City Hall Rotunda opening.

JCBOE Art Regional Manager, Ann Marley at Frogs Are Green City Hall Opening Reception.

Jersey City Student Artist, Rachel Shneberg with her winning artwork in City Hall.

Jersey City student artist, Sarah Mongare with her winning artwork in City Hall.

Frogs Are Green opening reception in City Hall, May 2015

Laura Skolar, President of Pershing Field Garden Friends and Daniel Levin, Associate Publisher of Jersey City Independent at Frogs Are Green City Hall opening

Laura Skolar, President of Pershing Field Garden Friends and Daniel Levin, Associate Publisher at Jersey City Independent at Frogs Are Green City Hall opening. Also pictured Greg Brickey, Jersey City Cultural Affairs.

Michael Markman, art teacher for JCBOE at Frogs Are Green City Hall opening.

Chris Styler, Chef, at Frogs Are Green City Hall Opening Reception.

International frog art by students ages 3-16 inside Jersey City's City Hall Rotunda May 2015.

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05/8/15

Frog Art in Jersey City – City Hall Rotunda

The last few months have been very exciting. The international children’s frog art is taking over Jersey City! The next exhibition is up now inside Jersey City’s City Hall Rotunda. It will be up until May 30th and the opening reception is May 20, 2015 at 6-8 PM EST. (You can visit weekdays and weekends, just see the event page for the hours.)

I’m reaching out because I expect the city will send the video team (JC1TV) and they would love it if the students whose work is on the walls could be at the reception. So, if you are one of the students that entered and won, or you don’t live too far away, please join us on May 20th!

3rd Place Winner, Cynthia Cao, USA, Frogs Are Green Kids Art Contest, Best Environmental Art

Here’s the link to see all the winning artworks:
http://frogsaregreen.org/winners-of-the-2014-frogs-are-green-kids-art-contest/

Here’s the event for May 20th on Facebook, so you can join and follow the details:
https://www.facebook.com/events/790874864334035/

Here’s a link to all the Frogs Are Green events planned for 2015.
http://frogsaregreen.org/about/events/

04/21/15

Earth Day Celebrations 2015

Each year as Earth Day approaches, Frogs Are Green goes into high gear.

Sunday, April 19, we celebrated with our local (and not so local) area, as many came out on a beautiful spring day to the Pershing Field Vietnam Veterans Memorial Community Center in Jersey City Heights, to see the winning artworks done by children around the world.

Visit this link to see the whole gallery of the event on Facebook: 2nd Annual Green Dream

Pictured above is Laura Skolar, President of Pershing Field Garden Friends; Jersey City, City Council President Rolando Lavarro, Jr. and Me.

We’ve published our “Frogs, Amphibians and Their Threatened Environment” six-week curriculum book on Amazon and Createspace!
Pick it up here >> Frog and Art Curriculum

We have two new awesome posters: one for “Saving the Bees” with a gorgeous micro close-up by wildlife photographer, Wes Deyton… and our adorable “Naturally FROGADELIC” illustrated by the always original, Mary Ann Farley.

Visit our shop here: Frogs Are Green Shop

Earth Day Buzz – Save the Honeybee – Photograph courtesy of Wes Deyton.

Naturally Frogadelic - Earth Day Poster by Susan Newman, founder, Frogs Are Green, Illustration courtesy Mary Ann Farley

Naturally Frogadelic – Earth Day Poster 2015 by Susan Newman, founder, Frogs Are Green; Illustration courtesy of Mary Ann Farley.

We also want to share that our favorite Frog author, Irwin Quagmire Wart has written a new book and you can pick up a free download 4/21 – 4/25: >> Green Is Good

On Saturday, April 25th, Frogs Are Green will visit Liberty State Park’s Earth Day Festival and Sunday, April 26th, we will have a tent/table at the Earth Day festival in front of Jersey City’s City Hall! Children will be able to sit and draw pictures of frogs and nature. Art supplies and frog/amphibian reference on hand.

Swing by and visit us and have a fabulous EARTH DAY (week) and Happy Save The Frogs Day too!

– Susan Newman, founder

03/22/15

The Young Environmental Artist

The young artist’s family and friends step out the cab and walk into the gallery one by one, parents and children of different ages. They begin looking and move down the wall, admiring the variety of each artwork. The young artist turns and as she walks across the gallery I see a shy smile across her lips. Yes, she has spotted her own artwork and moves closer to see it. I ask her if I can take her photograph with her artwork and she agrees. Her family takes pictures also.

We have a conversation about whether she had a lesson in school about frogs and the environment before she did her artwork (statement) on pollution. She tells me that she did some research but just created this based on her own imagination.

It’s a wonderful and sometimes strange feeling when one sees their artwork hanging on a gallery wall. For an artist, it’s what we all dream of. Visibility and the opportunity to share what we think.

As we’re talking, I see the parents and the other children moving around the gallery discussing the other works and taking photographs that will hopefully be shared with the extended family and perhaps on social media.

The youngest of the children takes me around to show her favorite pictures and why. She’s about 4 years old and drawn to the cutest and friendliest of the pictures.

They all say how much they enjoyed the exhibition and will be sure to do more frog art next Fall.

During the afternoon parents and children come by to see the student artworks but some people walk through the gallery on their way to a separate destination and do not even look at the walls, as if there is nothing there.

This baffles me and makes me wonder if there are some artists who think only their art is what’s important. Isn’t being an artist about appreciating self-expression, both your own and others?

Do seasoned artists think that because they are at a certain level of success, a young artist’s vision is of no consequence? Aren’t their artworks worth a look?

I believe that every person has the right to be seen and heard.

Having an appreciation of the arts (in its various forms, from dance and opera, to fine art and yes student frog artwork too) means stepping out of your own little world of self-expression and seeing what others have to say too.

Frogs Are Green

Environmental Organization Helping to Bring Awareness About Frog Decline Around The World

Category Archives: Frogs Are Green kids’ art contest