Aesthetic Center Idea
Idea School – Training the Creative Mind
At “Idea”, the aesthetic center for children, the process of training the imagination occurs through games and creative assignments during our courses in Russian, art, and sculpture. Our school is located at 1550 Bath Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11228. Lessons run on Thursdays (5-8), Fridays (5:30-8:30 pm), Saturdays, and Sundays (from 10 am to 1 pm). Our staff can be reached by phone: 917-325-4628 or by email: marinakorenfeld@gmail.com but first please take a look at our FAQ
FAQ
Instructors
Marina Korenfeld
Printmaker, art teacher
Education- Odessa Theater Art College, Odessa, Ukraine
BFA School of Visual Arts, New York
Marina is a member of the Art Students’ League, New York. She won a Merit Scholarship. She has the unique capacity to constantly generate ideas and creative projects.
Marina believes that every person must be insatiably fascinated with herself, with other people, and with the world around her. She believes that you can uncover and explore the child’s inner world through her emotional involvement and interest in her own actions. And the best way to teach the child how to make use of this interest (in any of its potential aspects) is to help her develop an interest in art and art-making.
Eli Bezimansky
Artist-Sculptor
Education – Moscow Art School, Russia
Fashion Institute of Technology, New York
Eli’s versatile projects range from mobile sculptures to landscaping. The creation of a Japanese pond with lilies, goldfish, and wild irises was a collaborative project which involved many teens at “Idea”. Eli’s other projects include chimes, the planting of trees (each bears the name of a camper at “Idea”), clay compositions, and the design of t-shirts and other household objects.
He is the art director for our plays and the costume designer of our plays and contests.
Eli thinks that that path to the development of the child’s inner world lies through artistic creation.
Summer Camp
In camp “Idea” our programs become more advanced and intense. Offering immersion that is not possible over the fragmented school year.
The wonderful natural surroundings, friendly company, and the ability to devote a greater amount of time to projects in art and sculpture enable children to become easily immersed in the atmosphere of creativity. The main events of our summers include games, Tamara’s reading by the fireplace, strolls in the forest, Friendship Club with Natalya, competitions (‘Mythological Creatures”, “Historical Figures”, “My favorite alien”, “Best New Yorker”, “Color Day”, “Mister and Miss Idea”, “Neptune Day”, and many others), creative writing assignments with illustrations, unique birthday celebrations full of surprises, Russian Day, and, of course, our theatrical performance, the main event of the summer.
more info
Camp “Idea” is located on 17 acres of forest, far away from the City’s hustle and bustle. We have a pool, a volleyball field, vegetable and flower gardens, and a raspberry grove. Our comfortable house has seven bedrooms, a library, a living room, and a dining room.
Our morning begins with a mandatory set of physical exercises that lasts 45 minutes. Our classes and programs always run according to a predetermined and carefully constructed plan. On principle, we do away with Internet and TV and do not allow any electronic games or devices at camp .
Our goal at Camp “Idea” is very simple — to breathe, to watch, to feel, to hear, to sense the nature all around us.
Aside from creating and maintaining a unique, friendly, and creative atmosphere, we direct our attention towards awakening and developing each child’s creative nature. For this purpose, we’ve been creating all kinds of competitions and contests where children learn about teamwork and collective creativity. Some of our favorite competitions include “Day of Color”, “Historical Figure”, and “Storybook Character”.
Some of our past performances include:
- Pewter Rings (2022)
- Dragon (2020)
- Ordinary Miracle (2019)
- Mother’s day concert (2021)
- Dramatization of “The Queen of Spades” and “Master and Margarita” (2021)
Old or young, everyone participates in our plays; the participants are incredibly engaged in the performances, and exulted to be working on them together. After their stay at camp they return home filled with impressions and ideas, more mature, more active, and more curious.
School Breaks
During school vacation the students of the aesthetic center “Idea” have the opportunity to become seriously engaged in their favorite activities (we work from 10 am to 5 pm). Trips to museums, the Botanical Gardens, the zoo, drawing from life and the exploration of New York, the incredible city in which we live. Children play sports, watch and discuss movies and perform exercises in dance and theater. This program is both for fall and spring vacations.
Midwinter Recess
During the last ten years we’ve developed the wonderful tradition of taking our students abroad during the February break. We’ve conquered Prague and Rome, Barcelona and Berlin, Paris, Andalusia and Tuscany, and Lisbon.