As we move from May to June, there is something incredibly exciting on the horizon that I want to share with you. Next month we will be installing the largest teen art exhibition in America, and I am so proud of the work our students and our teachers are doing…

I went to New Orleans to check out JazzFest, and I left there with a fresh  perspective on the importance of getting out of the cocoon and celebrating the majesty of music, art and culture. For four days, I roamed the fairgrounds like a kid looking for something fresh and…

My personal journey of raising a severely disabled child born 30 years ago with Autism has been so complicated. But, in many ways it has also been a blessing because it taught me more than anything else about the fragile nature of life and my need to adapt to things…

Over a decade ago, I met the artist JJ Manford and his artwork struck a chord with me.  One River School was still in its early days, and I had this idea that was centered around “Teaching Through the Lens of Living Artists”. I remember doing a studio visit with him…

People often ask me how I was able to write a book and the most frequent answer I give is: “I just did it”. I wasn’t looking for perfection; I was simply looking to tell a story that I had in my mind and do the best that I could.…

Enjoying original works of art in a gallery can relieve stress, reduce the risk of heart disease and boost your immune system, according to the first study of its kind. The study, led by King’s College London, involved 50 people aged between 18 and 40 in the UK. Half viewed original…

Last night I watched the opening monologue of the Oscars and Conan O’Brien spoke about the process of making art and its connection to optimism. I could relate to this on so many levels because I have watched students get lost in the “process of making” for over twenty years…

We always enter the new year with a tremendous amount of “to do’s” and self-improvement goals, and then we get stuck with the reality of our busy lives. So, I want to suggest a new way to approach the idea of “spring cleaning”. Look at your list from January and…

The month of February is a quirky one. Stemming from its Latin name “Februum”, meaning “to cleanse”, it is a month of purification, and renewal. It signifies letting go of the old year’s negativity, atoning for mistakes, and preparing for the coming spring. So, in many ways, you could think…