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Make Your Own Paintings Inspired by “Three Centuries of American Art”

Let’s make art! When you explore the MFAH galleries, think about the artists’ inspirations and let the works of art inspire you to create your own masterpieces.

In the exhibition Three Centuries of American Art – Antiquities, European and American Masterpieces from The Fayez S. Sarofim Collection you’ll see an extraordinary collection of paintings, sculptures, pottery, and more. Two special paintings inspired these art activities.

Use the step-by-step activity guides and how-to videos below to make art at home. Let’s get started! 

Art-Making Activity | Let’s Layer with Paint
Download the Activity Guide “Exploring Positive and Negative Space” 

Art-Making Activity | Let’s Make a Watercolor
Download the Activity Guide “Exploring Paint Resists and Application”

► Plan Your Visit
See Three Centuries of American Art – Antiquities, European and American Masterpieces from The Fayez S. Sarofim Collection at the MFAH through Labor Day, September 6. Included with general admission. Advance timed tickets recommended.


This exhibition is organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

Lead Corporate Sponsor:
JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Generous funding provided by:
Gail and Louis Adler
Nancy and Rich Kinder
Ellen and Charles Sheedy
Vivian L. Smith Foundation

Family Programs at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, receive generous support from the Junior League of Houston, Inc.

Learning and Interpretation programs receive generous funding from the Jerold B. Katz Foundation; Institute of Museum and Library Services; H-E-B; MD Anderson Cancer Center; Houston Junior Woman’s Club; The Brown Foundation, Inc.; Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo; Sharon G. Dies; Susan Vaughan Foundation; and additional generous donors.

All Learning and Interpretation programs at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, receive endowment funds provided by Louise Jarrett Moran Bequest; Caroline Wiess Law; the William Randolph Hearst Foundation; Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff; the National Endowment for the Humanities; the Fondren Foundation; BMC Software, Inc.; the Wallace Foundation; the Neal Myers and Ken Black Children’s Art Fund; Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Ballard; Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Tate; the Eleanor and Frank Freed Foundation; Virginia and Ira Jackson; the Favrot Fund; Neiman Marcus Youth Arts Education; gifts in memory of John Wynne; and gifts in honor of Beth Schneider.

Posts

Lucy Sarneel, “Meli-melo” Necklace, 2007, zinc, textile, rubber, wood, paint, glass beads, and gold

At-Home Art Activity “Exploring Materials and Creating & Modifying Beads” November 15, 2022

Inside the MFAH

Create your own art while exploring a variety of materials and beads, with inspiration from works in the MFAH collections.

André Derain, The Turning Road, L’Estaque, 1906, oil on canvas

At-Home Art Activity “Exploring Fauvism and Creating Colorful Landscapes” October 10, 2022

Inside the MFAH

Make your own art inspired by the Fauvist movement and André Derain’s The Turning Road, L’Estaque.

Art Activity | Exploring Works on Paper (Shahzia Sikander)

At-Home Art Activity Inspired by “Shahzia Sikander: Extraordinary Realities” May 20, 2022

Inside the MFAH

Make your own art inspired by the work of Shahzia Sikander in the exhibition Extraordinary Realities.

Dawoud Bey, Two Boys in Prospect Park, 1990, gelatin silver print

At-Home Art Activities Inspired by “Dawoud Bey: An American Project” May 6, 2022

Inside the MFAH

Create your own works of art with these projects and inspiration from the photographs in the exhibition Dawoud Bey: An American Project.

Shield | Art Activity

At-Home Activities Inspired by Art from the Indigenous Pacific Islands and Australia May 2, 2022

Inside the MFAH

Create your own works of art with inspiration from the Indigenous Pacific Islands and Australia.