The International Children’s Art Archive, popularly known as PapaInk, served as the archival home of children's art between 1999-2006. Prior to its closing, the nonprofit organization's archival website documented and exhibited children's art collections from its own physical holdings as well as presenting works donated or shared by organizations and individuals worldwide. The result was to bring to public view collections that would otherwise remain largely unseen, and to bring together widely dispersed works of children's art in a single, dedicated context.
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PapaInk made available an international sampling of historical children's art, works by contemporary children and the childhood work of professional artists. Selected holdings, from important partnerships the organization formed, such as the Jewish Museum in Prague's WWII era Terezín collection and the Christian Children's Fund collection spanning 60 years, provided works of established historical value a long-term broad-based public exposure for the first time through presentation on the organization’s online archive. Other holdings, such as works contributed by nonprofits, businesses, professional artists, educators and young artists themselves, were brought within the purview of historical and contemporary appreciation by virtue of The PapaInk’s exhibition and preservation efforts.
The depth and breadth of the organization’s holdings gave rise to an often noted unique and surprisingly profound experience of children's art which attracted the attention of important arbiters of culture and art such as the New York Times and Art in America. The dignity of each piece and each collection was heightened by its placement within—and relationship to – the organization’s substantial, respectfully presented body of children's work. The total effect was a transformed sense of children's art and of children's expressive capacities. During its years of operation, PapaInk attracted in excess of 12 million visitors to digital archive. As the singularly rich resource of children's expression and experience during its time of operation, PapaInk attracted a world audience of libraries, schools, academicians, parents, children and members of arts communities.
In addition to its collection of children’s art, PapaInk’s online magazine dedicated to parenting contained a wealth of resources, included an eclectic blend of interviews conducted by the organization’s founder Marc Feldman, including interviews with Maurice Sendak (Where The Wild Things Are), Stuart Kauffman (At Home In the Universe), Max Oelschlaeger (The Idea of Wilderness) Taj Mahal (Señor Blues), Watts Whacker (The 500-Year Delta), Stephen Kellogg (A Rose For Pinkerton), and Walter Cronkite (CBS News).
PapaInk!'s published interviews were part of its "iPapa Project," a project which PapaInk described as "an independent initiative that seeks to foster the fullest possible involvement by fathers and society in encouraging the creative spirit of children. The project recognizes the critical role that men play in children's lives. Interviews with noted individuals as well as excerpts from thinkers in different disciplines on the topics of fathering and creativity form the heart of this project. Fathering=Life!"
Beyond engaging the public as viewers and appreciators of children's works, PapaInk provided a venue for young artists, their families and communities to exhibit and preserve their art. The organization also worked with 200+ businesses, nonprofits and libraries to sponsor children's art collections that were displayed and archived on PapaInk. Central to PapaInk's collection development activities was the efforts of a worldwide network of 500+ volunteers who contributed personal and institutional collections, and gathered children's art from their local communities for archival exhibition on PapaInk. PapaInk provided its archival, display, marketing and PR services at no-cost In helping to reconstitute the legacy of children's art, PapaInk furthered its vision of a world encouraging of and revitalized by the creative spirit of youth.
Projects And Calls For Art
...A Sense of Home framed|left|Building A Sense of Home (A PapaInk! - Habitat for Humanity Project) In 2003, following discussions with PapaInk's founder Marc Feldman and First Lady Rosalynn Carter of Habitat for Humanity, PapaInk issued an international call for Children's Art and Youth Art in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity International and its worldwide affiliates. The project, "On the Map: Building a Sense of Home" was designed to bring "together young people's capacity to express a sense of home that is at once practical and visionary." The stated goal of the project was to:
"...Establish a world historical transcription of home through the art of youth. Working through Habitat for Humanity's global volunteer and affiliate networks and PapaInk's worldwide volunteer base and network of non-profit organizations...involving young people from the widest possible range of communities and cultures...to take part by creating a piece of art that captures their sense of home—lived, wished or imagined. Through the act of expressing a vision of home, young people give their vision a material force. Brought together in a serious archival setting, young people's articulations form a blueprint for building a shared sense of home grounded in the particulars of individual and community needs and warmed by the universals of comfort and care. The On the Map: Building a Sense of Home art collection will stand as a dramatic living document that creatively re-maps the familiar terrain of home. It will make young people's expressions a vital part of cultural experience and social engagement. And the positive action the project aims to inspire will expand and deepen the sense of home children and youth carry into the future" (PapaInk Press Release)
...When They Were Children
In March 2002, PapaInk initiated its innovative and highly successful call for the childhood and early youth art of professional artists. With the help of a well developed network of partners in the art and culture space, such as the high-traffic site World Wide Arts Resources Corp and the high-profile arts magazine Art in America, PapaInk's "When They Were Children" became an annual call for the early child and youth artworks of professional artists. As described by PapaInk's founder Marc Feldman, in a press release, project, "Artists worldwide are invited take part in a historic rebuilding and recovery of a vital missing element in the cultural record--the creative expression of childhood." ""When They Were Children" functions as the spirit and substance of artists' collective creative history, and as a material legacy and imaginative fuel for young artists today." (PapaInk Press Release - March 2002). The call to art was "open to all practicing artists with extant works from childhood or memories of epiphanic moments of early creative discovery. [With] All selected artwork and texts will be exhibited within the "When They Were Children" Collection [...] appearing within the online venue of PapaInk's world-noted archive of historical and contemporary children's art expected to attract over one million visitors in 2003." (PapaInk Press release - March 2002). The Project included not only the childhood works of professional artists, but commentaries and childhood writings submitted by the artists, such as Brent Hallard:
"...I can see the hand move, at first nervous, touching paper, and then, drawing intricate circles within circles and marks inside. The shirt had five buttons showing. And the shirt on the person he had drawn had exactly the same number of buttons. He then, after checking that the number of buttons on paper and shirt correspond, goes on to draw shoes and laces, and later, legs that bend, run, and jump. This boy knew he had discovered in life—and on paper—a secret world." From "The Secret World of Buttons," a narrative about childhood creativity. © Copyright 2002, Brent Hallard. All rights reserved. Submitted to PapaInk during the 2002 "When They Were Children" call for art.'
PapaInk! - The iCurate Project
Well in advance of other art sites (whether children or adult oriented), Papaink!'s iCurate program invited for professional and non-professional art curators to "take part in a world historical project to collect and preserve the artwork of children contemporary and past. Children's Art Curators are at the heart of PapaInk's mission to reinject the creative spirit of children into human discourse and everyday life." As described by PapaInk!, its "curators work within their local communities around the world to"
"Recognize the artistic accomplishments of children, and honor their works in a historically and culturally meaningful context" "Rescue and archive children's works of art" "Assemble collections of children's art that reflect and reinforce children's contributions to community life"
PapaInk's call for father's day art (papa's day art)
"June 2003 -- Call to young artists! Submit artwork related to fathers and father-figures for permanent digital exhibition on PapaInk. The Father's Day Art Collection will recognize and honor the bond between fathers/father-figures and children. Each submitted piece will be included in the collection and displayed to audiences worldwide."
Introductions and Reviews
PapaInk: The Children's Art Archive
Tin Lamp Used in the Homes of the Poor. Tin Lamp. Unknown Artist. Tempera. Copyright © Christian Children's Fund. All rights reserved. Courtesy of PapaInk and Christian Children's Fund. Used with permission.
PapaInk is the archival home of children's art. The nonprofit organization's archival site documents and exhibits children's art collections from its own physical holdings and presents works donated or shared by organizations and individuals worldwide. The result is to bring to public view collections that would otherwise remain largely unseen, and to bring together widely dispersed works of children's art in a single, dedicated context.
PapaInk makes available an extensive international sampling of historical children's art, works by contemporary children and the childhood work of professional artists. Selected holdings, such as the Jewish Museum in Prague's WWII era Terezín collection and the Christian Children's Fund collection spanning 60 years, are works of established historical value given permanent, broad-based public exposure for the first time through presentation on PapaInk. Other holdings, such as works contributed by nonprofits, businesses, professional artists, educators and young artists themselves, are brought within the purview of historical and contemporary appreciation by virtue of PapaInk's exhibition and preservation efforts.
The depth and breadth of PapaInk's holdings give rise to a unique and surprisingly profound experience of children's art. The dignity of each piece and each collection is heightened by its placement within—and relationship to—PapaInk's substantial, respectfully presented body of children's work. The total effect is a transformed sense of children's art and of children's expressive capacities.
More and more people are experiencing this transformation first-hand. PapaInk expects to draw 1.5 million visitors to its digital archive this year alone. As a singularly rich resource of children's expression and experience, PapaInk attracts a world audience of libraries, schools, academicians, parents, children and members of arts communities.
Beyond engaging the public as viewers and appreciators of children's works, PapaInk provides a venue for young artists, their families and communities to exhibit and preserve their art. The organization also works with businesses, nonprofits and libraries to sponsor children's art collections that are displayed and permanently archived on PapaInk. Central to PapaInk's collection development activities are the efforts of a worldwide network of volunteers who contribute personal and institutional collections, and gather children's art from their local communities for archival exhibition on PapaInk.
PapaInk is a core initiative of The Children's Art Legacy Foundation. In helping to reconstitute the legacy of children's art, PapaInk furthers the Foundation's vision of a world encouraging of and revitalized by the creative spirit of youth.
New York Times Review "For some, children's art is an oxymoron. Can the young create museum-worthy art? At PapaInk, the Children's Art Archive (papaink.org), an argument is made for children's art as a neglected part of our cultural heritage.
Founded in 1999 by Marc Feldman, a former philosophy professor, PapaInk displays more than 20,000 children's works of art and plans to triple in size this year. (Its name reflects the role of adults in nurturing children's creativity.) The goal is to build an audience for children's art by digitizing collections scattered across the world and displaying them in context at a central location. (Submissions are also welcome.)"
Internet Scout Review "An amazing resource and unique tribute to the oft under-recognized value of children's art, PapaInk archives and makes available works that otherwise certainly would have been overlooked by everyone but the creators and their immediate loved ones. Founded in 1999 with a mission preserving and posting children's artwork, PapaInk has grown in significance and status ever since. Serving as a crossroads for art sharing and appreciation, the site features several collections, some arranged by theme, others by artists or gallery. Showcasing art from around the world, Papaink is a global forum. Visitors to the site can both view and forward links of what they appreciate to others. Many of the featured works offer detailed captions and descriptions, allowing visitors more intimate glimpses into the lives and minds of the young artists that created them. Convinced that what children see is every bit as valid as what adults do, Papaink is dedicated to helping preserve those visions and all they express."