Teacher uses his skills to enrich youngsters’ lives
Noah’s Art blends art with education
appeared in The Charlotte Observer on 7/7/2010
regarding Noah’s Art in Charlotte, NC
Brian Bojanowski has followed his dream in Charlotte and has been rewarded again and again.
His curricula at Noah’s Art have received the Charlotte Parent Magazine 2010 Family Favorites distinction in the category of best fine arts/music enrichment program, making this the eighth time in 10 years he has earned that honor.
Bojanowski and his wife, Wendi, opened Noah’s Art in Stonecrest Shopping Center in 2000, then moved the business to the Blakeney Shopping Center four years ago.
“We were newlyweds,” said Bojanowski. “We wanted to do something together that would bring out the best in us and utilize our talents and abilities in teaching.”
Bojanowski’s background is in elementary and special education. He taught an experimental class of first- through sixth-graders with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD); third- and fourth-grade students with learning disabilities and behavior disorders; a second-grade elementary class; and fourth grade as a math and science specialist.
“I was known for incorporating art into the way I taught children,” said Bojanowski. Whether making a papier-mache solar system or explaining math word problems by drawing apples and oranges, he used his love of art to help students learn.
Bojanowski now incorporates art into teaching at Noah’s Art.
“While in the process for review for business loans, I had this dream,” said Bojanowski. In the dream, he saw the couple’s soon-to-be art studio with a sign that read “Young Picasso’s Art Studio” – the original name they intended. There were art classes in progress and children were coming in the storefront.
“Well, in this dream, we had a lazy, big sheep dog named Noah. He would lay in the corner, just curled up sleeping. The kids identified that building with Noah and started saying, ‘I’m going to Noah’s Art.’ So, in the dream, we started calling it Noah’s Art,” said Bojanowski.
Despite their investment in a sign, logo and T-shirts for the Young Picasso’s name, the couple decided to change.
When designing the Noah’s Art curriculum, he sought the direction and approval of both an art teacher colleague and a professor of art education at Winthrop University, whose son Bojanowski taught.
“Everything we do is theme based, and that comes from our teaching background,” said Bojanowski. “Art around the World is a curriculum we do, (in which) we do art projects based on culture.”
In one part of the curriculum, Bojanowski talks to kids about Africa and the significance of an African mask to the culture. In other sections, kids learn about Mexico and Native Americans. The children then do art projects inspired by what they’ve learned.
Bojanowski has designed 28 curricula.
“There’s education behind each art project,” said Bojanowski.
While he enjoys teaching children through drawing, painting, construction and more, his favorite medium is drawing, he said. However, he prefers creating multimedia art that involves construction.
“I like building things,” he said. “I’ve always had an interest in woodworking, so in my personal art I’ve used wood with paint; layering, stacking, building, construction, shadowbox type projects.”
Bojanowski teaches art to children ages 2-10, and the 2-year-olds continually impress him.
“For them, it’s a party. Give them paint and they’re uninhibited and ready to go to it,” he said. “You give them a paintbrush and they’re just so excited. Their faces light up.”
Bojanowski’s favorite part of every day is the kids.
“The kids. It’s always the kids,” said Bojanowski.
From the Studio
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