The Getty to Host Mosaic and Tātau Bookmark Workshops

Like NYC's MoMA, the Getty museum in Los Angeles has made an impressive commitment to kids and families programming, with their recent 'Garden Concerts for Kids' being amongst our favorite events of this past summer. But with autumn now upon us, they're bringing it indoors (and in the courtyard), hosting a series of workshops that take kids on fascinating cultural journeys.

We at tigernoodles are especially excited about an upcoming weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday, September 18-20) of creativity with 'Artist-at-Work: Tapa Making' and 'Stories in Ink: Tātau Bookmark Workshop'. Specialized artists/artisans from Tahiti will demonstrate how tree bark is converted into cloth and decorated in traditional patterns using natural dyes - whilst also enlightening as to the cultural and spiritual meaning that informs this practice.

During the same weekend, representatives from the Arioi Cultural Center will conduct a workshop on the art of the tātau, Polynesian tattoo making. Kids can design their own bookmark to take home, using the same techniques. Afterwards pop in to the exhibit 'Joshua Reynolds's Portrait of Mai and 18th-Century Portraiture' (opening September 15), which the activities were partly inspired by.

Then on select Saturdays - Oct 10 and 24, Nov 14 and 21, Dec 5 and 12, 2026, and Jan 16, 2027, all from 11am, to be specific - families can pop in for the sure-to-be-fascinating 'Artist-at-Work: Making Mosaics', and 'Modern Mosaics: Family Workshop' at the Getty Villa. Hosted by artist Andrés Cortes, it's all thematically well-considered, nodding to the museum's impressive collection of mosaic art, but offering the opportunity to create mosaic animals that are indigenous to LA. area. Employing contemporary materials, Cortes will teach kids about techniques that date all the way back to Ancient Rome.

The program is developed in conjunction with Collage Garage, and is offered in both English and Spanish.

(Parents: If you are not geographically able to visit the Getty in person, their YouTube channel has so many great videos you can enjoy together with your kids, including this very stylish one of Becoming Artsy host Jessie Hendricks getting her hair styled like the figures in notable artworks, with the help of Academy Award winning hairstylist Yolanda Toussieng.)