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

Q: How much do the weekend classes cost?
A: You can pay for each class individually or monthly. If paying monthly, classes are $60 per class, with a 10% discount for the second child. If paying individually, classes are $70.

Q: What if my child misses a class?
In case of a missed class, there is the possibility of a makeup class – on any other day: Thursday (5-8), Friday (5:30-8:30), Saturday (10-1; 1:30-4:30), or on Sunday (10-1) as long as the makeup class is within 1 month of the missed day.

Q: How much does a week of camp cost?
A: $850 for students who attend Idea classes during the school year. For those who do not attend Idea classes during the year, a week costs $950 and two weeks or more are $900 a week.

Q: How much does the winter/spring semester cost?
A: $900 and $810 for the subsequent children. Early bird special of $50 off if paid before the 1st of september.

Q: How long is each class?
A: Each class is three hours. This includes a class of Russian, followed by a break with educational games (it is recommended to bring a some food and drink in a lunch box), and class in art or sculpture.

Q: Do you need to bring your own paints and brushes to class?
A: No, but at the beginning of every school year, please bring $120, which covers all class materials.

Q: At what age can a child attend the center “Idea”?
A: Ideally, starting from 5 years of age.

Q: At what age can a child attend camp “Idea”?
A: This will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Q: As a student of “Idea”, can you do without homework?
A: No.

Q: Does “Idea” hold prep sessions for getting into colleges and specialized high schools?
A: Yes, and with great success.

Q: How can you participate in a performance given by “Idea”?
A: You should attend the summer camp. Rehearsals take place over the course of 4 weeks.

Q: What is nutrition like at camp “Idea”?
A: We have home-cooked meals four times a day.

Q: Is there swimming at the camp?
A: Yes, we swim at the lake.

Q: How many children are there in each group?
A: Up to 10 kids.

Q: How often do the children memorize poetry at “Idea”?
A: Very frequently and on a regular basis.

Q: Are there authors to whom you resort on a regular basis? In other words, does “Idea” have a canon?
A: Yes, indeed. They are
L. Tolstoy
A. Pushkin
A. Chekhov
A. Green
A. Tarkovskiy
I. Bunin
L. Ulitzkaya
D. Kharms
K. Chukovskiy
B. Zakhoder
A. Usachev

We study Pushkin, at first his poetry, and then “The Queen of Spades”, “The Shot”, “The Captain’s Daughter”, “Eugene Onegin”.
Anton Chekhov’s “Kashtanka”, “The Proposal”, “The Bet”.
Kuprin’s “Barbos and Zhulka”, “White Poodle”, “Yu-yu”
Paustovsky’s “The Old Chef”, “Cat the Thief”, “Warm Bread”
Leo Tolstoy’s “Stories for Children”. With the older group we’ve studied “War and Peace” for three years
Antoine de Saint Exupery’s“The Little Prince”
Yanusz Korczak’s “King Matt the First”
Sholom Aleichem’s “Boy Mottle”.

Q: Do you select your students based on talent? What if a child doesn’t know how to draw?
A: No, we don’t. All children are talented.

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:

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.