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Art Education & Mental Wellness

By Michelle Miserez, VP Franchise Development | April 15, 2026

Mental Health Awareness Month in May focuses on reducing stigma and promoting well-being, with art serving as a powerful, non-verbal tool for healing, expression, and stress reduction. Art school franchises are crucial because they offer accessible, community-based spaces for creative outlets, helping children and adults build resilience, manage emotions, and foster mental wellness. Why Art…

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RECENT POSTS

New Exhibitions

One of the most important goals of One River School is to be “the voice of contemporary art in our communities”. We do this by writing lesson plans that teach “through the lens of living artists” and by producing exhibitions from contemporary artists. All of our schools have recently opened a new exhibition or are…

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It’s Museum Monday!

There’s no doubt that I am part of a minority in America: those who frequently attend museums 😀! In fact, a survey from 2023 tells us that only 28% of Americans attended a museum in the previous year. Said differently, almost 75% did not attend a museum in 2023! I’m not sure why museum attendance…

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Back in the Flow

Now that we are in February and all the “end of year” / “new year” stuff is behind us, I think of this window of time as one where we are “back in the flow”. The period between now and the beginning of summer is the time where we get stuff done and it shouldn’t…

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When Does Sport Become Art?

Forgive me for a minute if you think I’m going off script, but I have to point out something that I saw this weekend that was purely artistic. Watching Patrick Mahomes lead the Kansas City Chiefs was like watching a great actor, ballet dancer, musician or visual artist in the studio doing their thing. Sports…

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The Joy of Sharing

As I was clicking around Instagram this weekend, I was so happy to see this photo. It demonstrates something I feel so strongly about that is at the essence of what Artmaking does for us when we have a chance to share it with the world. Our student exhibitions have begun and Thalia, who is…

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Showtime

This month, all of our One River School locations across the country will present their winter student exhibitions, and there is not a more compelling moment to celebrate the work that went into these projects, the skill development that was reinforced along the way, and the joy of sharing these accomplishments with friends and family….

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The End or The Beginning

When I ask you the following question, what is your first response: Is it the end of the year or the beginning of a new year? Frankly, since it is December 30th, on a technical basis the objective and correct answer is: We are one day away from the end of the year and two…

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The Holiday Spirit

The holiday spirit, to me, is about a shared sense of warmth, generosity, and connection. It’s the time when people come together—whether with family, friends, or even strangers—to celebrate kindness, express gratitude, and create meaningful moments. It’s the twinkle of lights on a winter evening, the joy of giving and receiving, and the comfort of…

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The Gratitude Tree

As we move through the holiday season towards the end of the year, I wanted to share an artwork / graphic that I stumbled on a few years ago that has resonated with me.  It’s called “The Gratitude Tree” and if you take a minute and really stare at this image, you might also connect…

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Educator Showcase: Bryant Franco

Tell us a little bit about you and your background. Hi! My name is Bryant and I’ve been an artist genuinely my whole life. When I was little I would remake movies that I liked into comic books and would even make my own yearbooks with printer paper and staple it together and have my…

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