PS 36 kids’ art depicts their future career goals

Artist Charles Lilly, who has worked at a number of public schools throughout his career and has had his creations displayed throughout the world, conducted the 10-week program, with 16 third- and fourth-grade pupils, meeting once a week after school for two and a half hours. Students were chosen based on the excellence of an essay they had to write on what they want to be when they grow up.

The students began by learning how to mix various color pallets and then went on to paint themselves in professions such as teacher, doctor, architect, pilot, social worker, soccer player and Army general. The pictures are displayed in the school’s auditorium as well as the courtyard and other parts of the building.

“When I was picked for the art program, I thought we were going to just do lots of drawing and coloring, boy was I wrong,” said student Joseph Alvarez, who aspires to be an airline pilot, adding, “I never knew there was so much to learn about art and painting. ... I was sad when I found out that we couldn’t take our artwork home, but the principal explained that if we become what we painted, we could come back to PS 36 and take it home.”

Participants did, however, receive a smaller framed replica of their artwork and the youngsters posed for photos with their parents as they held their souvenirs at the ceremony.

“I am extremely proud of him,” said PTA President Adrienne Bond, whose son, Tyler, participated in the program and painted himself as a doctor. “I know he will fulfill his dream.”

At the beginning of the class, Lilly took photographs of each student, then went home and roughly sketched and painted their faces to ensure an accurate likeness — then the kids took over. They painted the lettering, their clothing, arms and hands.

“Their aspirations, their beliefs, and what they want to become, their pride in themselves, has to start right here in these lower grades,” Lilly said, “because what they develop here is what they bring forth later.”

PS 36 also welcomed a new playground, renovated as part of the mayor’s PlaNYC program, a partnership between the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation and the Trust for Public Land, which aims to ensure that all New Yorkers live within a 10-minute walk from a park by 2030. School staffers and students designed the space, which includes a jungle gym with slides, a running track, basketball courts and tons of floor games including hopscotch. It is also open to the public.

“The kids were excited,” said principal Lynn Staton. “The gym teacher was especially excited because now she has a track for the kids to really do some extended exercises, since we don’t have a gym.”