Aminah's Studio Box
Want to bring the art studio home? In order to keep creative minds engaged during COVID-19, the Columbus Museum of Art is offering a variety of at-home projects and virtual events. As a celebration of Columbus native and artist Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson, CMA is offering Aminah’s Studio in a Box, which is available to order from now until Nov. 20, 2021.
Aminah’s Studio in a Box comes with all sorts of materials inspired by Robinson’s work. From colored pencils to buttons and even shells, Aminah’s Studio in a Box will have you exploring your creativity from a whole new perspective.
The box is $30 for CMA members and $40 for nonmembers, plus a shipping fee for those ordering it directly to home. All boxes can be picked up Wednesday – Sunday from 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. CMA also offers a subscription for studio boxes at $60 for members and $75 for nonmembers. At the beginning of each month, a subscriber will receive a new studio box to explore.
Every week, CMA also has free, 40-minute virtual studio workshops, perfect for giving the kids a break from online learning or just to spend time together as a family. Each month there will be two studio workshops and two Aminah workshops.
One Amazing Artist
Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson was born in 1940 in Columbus, Ohio. Growing up, Robinson utilized her knowledge of folk traditions that she learned from her parents. She attended the Columbus Art School, which is now known as the Columbus College of Art and Design. Throughout her lifetime, Robinson cultivated artwork from found objects all around her, including cloth, buttons, music boxes and shells.
Much of Robinson’s work is derived from childhood memories and the neighborhoods of Columbus she grew up in. Robinson’s work also takes inspiration from the African concept of Sankofa, originating from the Akan people of Ghana, meaning that one must go back and use knowledge from the past in order to make positive progress moving forward.
Her work also draws inspiration from her travels. Some of Robinson’s trips included a six-week stay in Africa, a journey to Georgia to visit the Hog Hammock community of Sapelo Island, a residency at PS 1, Long Island City, in New York, a month-long trip to Israel and even an excursion to Santiago, Chile.
Through Robinson’s art, other Black Americans are able to better understand their ancestors’ journey from Africa into Columbus and into the 21st century. Robinson’s work illuminates the spirits of ancestors who came before her and continues to take back history by using the songs of her ancestors, the lives of prominent African American figures and the stories from her childhood neighborhoods in her work.
For any questions about Aminah’s Studio in a Box, ordering studio boxes in bulk or questions about virtual Studio Workshops, contact megan.green@cmaohio.org.
Helen Widman is an editorial assistant. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
