04/20/2026
We will be sending books to these 31 talented Art Educators! Thanks to our sponsors who were once fortunate enough to have someone give them a precious nudge in the direction of a creative life-their donation has made this possible.
AARON SOBER, for carrying on the visual arts legacy at Choate Rosemary Hall. He and the arts faculty have big sandals to fill–and a challenge from Jeff to fill PMAC to the rim with art! BTW, sorry for any damages left behind.
ADAM COLLET, for being a Teaching Artist with the Arts Corps. It’s brilliant for Seattle teens to have a place to channel their creative energy. We love how he mixes his photography with mixed media and STEM disciplines.
ALEX NOVAK FOSTER, for her work in facilitating the arts in the academic classrooms at Quinnipiac, where Jeff once taught. We love what she does at the Connecticut affiliate of Young Audiences Arts for Learning.
AMANDA PHINGBODHIPAKKIYA, for invoking joy and belonging in the face of grief and injustice. We love her public art and the way she dares young artists to imagine empowering narratives for themselves and our shared society.
ASHRAF HASHAM, for his work as the youth arts manager for the city of Seattle. We love his energy and focus on the creative generation. We hope this book can add to his inspiring way of making art experiences accessible.
BELLA ABZUG LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE, for developing young leaders. Bella was a hero for Jeff, and thanks to her legacy, we have people who can turn ideas into a better future. Let us all sit on Bella’s lap. Long live audacity!
BRANFORD ARTS & CULTURAL ALLIANCE (BACA), for being a social convener bringing artists and art lovers together. Art kept us connected on the porch of the purple house–and now we pass the baton to their gallery.
BRIAN HOGARTH, for making museums more educational through the alumni of Bank Street’s museum education program. We love how his art house experience evokes a spirit of co-production among all museum staff and young visitors.
CAROLINA RUBIO, for getting art educators from the University of Texas to think about decolonizing, feminist perspectives, and social justice. Her art makes us feel good! Jeff would’ve loved her intergenerational art collaborations.
DALTON SCHOOL, for the way Mira Gelley Dustin Atlas, Ryan Davis, Tammy Logan, David Rubin, and Melissa Zexter develop young creatives. They stand on the shoulders of Aaron Kurzen, who was Jeff’s dear friend and inspiration.
DANA HENG, for shaping the visual arts program at New Urban Arts in Providence. We love how easy she makes it for kids to walk in and make art. Her team of mentors, Filipa, Sherly, and Ian, are great at liberating creativity.
DANIELLE MCDANIEL, the Clay Lady, for keeping our hands in the clay, and our heads in the clouds. She brings the transformative power of art to hundreds of thousands of children by educating art teachers in Tennessee and beyond.
DAVID FLORES, for inspiring kids to think through the lens of their cameras. We love how he gets young people to reframe their story. Kudos to Dreamyard in the Bronx, for empowering teaching artists like David to shape dreams.
DONNA ROY and MAGDALENA FIN, for bringing art into the lives of Branford High School students. Back in the day, it was Naomi Kantrow and Marianne Hanus who gave us arty types refuge—now we thank them for being kind to our kids.
FORD PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY & MUSEUM, f\or searching for Jeff’s portrait of Gerry & Betty in their archives. If anyone sees a 3-D 400-pound, 5-foot, colorful chair-portrait with stuffed body parts, please let them know.
HOPE CHÁVEZ, for leading The Arts Council of greater New Haven in an inclusive manner. Jeff became an artist in your city and would endorse their mission to affirm art, culture, and creativity as fundamental human rights.
JAIMIE WARREN, for making Whoop Dee Doo! creative experiences for kids. We love their outrageous interventions–and the audacity and agency that they inspire in young people. Jeff would have been right at home on their mock TV set.
JEANNETTE RODRÍGUEZ PÍNEDA, for her visual storytelling and education design. We love the integrity of her art, which explores identity—hers, and her students’. Who am I really? was often a starting point with Jeff’s students.
JENNIFER SULLIVAN, for sharing the Willoughby Wallace Memorial Library archives, which have helped tell this story. It was fun to sift through library images in The Keyes Gallery where Jeff and his students first showed their art.
JOHANNA and ANNA BRESNICK, for inspiring generations of young artists through the Educational Center for Arts in New Haven. We love their leadership, including at the John Slade Ely House, where Jeff had his first show.
LAUREN YOUNGE, for dreaming about how the Center of Creative Arts (COCA) can reinvent their art camp experiences. We hope her energy will spark joy and fill the beautiful St. Louis facility with outrageous, participatory art.
LEGACY THEATRE, for adding a new chapter to the history of theatrical arts in Stony Creek. Jeff’s studio was next door, and he loved to pop in for inspiration–glad they continue to inspire young creatives.
NATHALIE LAVINE, for leading education and outreach at Cheekwood Estate and Gardens–where Jeff often enjoyed inspiration tours. We love their artist-in-residence program and showcase of Tennessee Scholastic Art Awardees.
NATIONAL ART EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, for celebrating art educators. We love how the NAEA equips teachers to develop creative talent–and hope Jeff’s exercises can contribute to their mission of enriching students’ lives through art.
OLGA HUBARD, for humanizing art and making meaningful art experiences for all learners. We love how she facilitates dialogue in museums and classrooms. Her work at Columbia's Teachers College and beyond inspires us!
REBECCA KELLER, for supporting art educators studying at the Art Institute of Chicago to see the relationship between art and politics. Jeff saw art as activism and would’ve loved her discussions on propaganda, censorship, and identity.
SHANA CINQUEMANI, for guiding RISD’s Department of Teaching + Learning in Art + Design. She and her team are cultivating art educators who help artistic talent to emerge and shape society. We love how she brings mini art makers together.
SHANNON SHAW, for teaching visual arts at PS2 the Meyer London School, named after Jeff’s great-great-uncle, the socialist congressman from New York’s Lower East Side. PS2 students carry on the tradition of expressing big ideas.
SIERRA MACHADO, for being That Art Teacher in Oklahoma who decided to share her content with public school teachers everywhere. Wow, we need that! We love thatartteacher.com, which inspired us to share Jeff’s art exercises.
STONY CREEK MUSEUM, for being a harbor for culture. Jeff’s art was born out of the area’s creative talent. Glad we could team up with them to curate this story–and make it available to the next generation of creators.
SWOON and the Heliotrope Foundation, for their healing art experiences that rebuild communities. Jeff loved having kids trace each other’s silhouettes—seeing your cutouts and murals is evocative of that human magic.
Thank you to everyone who highlighted these creative people who are making artistic possibilities for young people.
