A Fusion of Art and Information
It started with a request for photos. Since 2011, Creative Art Works has created scores of murals, paintings, and other public art within the New York City Family Court system; so when First Deputy Chief Clerk Ruth Whalen emailed last March and said, "We're working on a guidebook for Family Court, and would like to include some photos of the past work,” we said, "We can provide photos… but perhaps we should talk about this guidebook!"
Ruth explained that The Court needed a document that would help orient visitors, including families seeking support, students on class trips, and those interested in careers in The Court. They were beginning to draft it, and were hoping photos of CAW’s youth-created art would help the document feel less institutional and more welcoming, while also communicating important details that make the work of The Court more accessible to all.
CAW has worked with youth in graphic design and digital arts for more than a decade, including another guidebook for the Administration for Children's Services: an orientation manual for youth in detention, by youth in detention.
Given our prior experience and the strength of this longstanding partnership, it seemed like a perfect opportunity to suggest this be a youth-centered project.
Ruth shared the idea with NYC Family Court Administrative Judge Anne-Marie Jolly, who responded enthusiastically, and within short order, our friends at the NYS Unified Court System Office for Justice Initiatives were also on board with their support.
Our Youth Apprentices Get to Work
As a result, this summer, 18 CAW Youth Apprentices set up shop in a waiting room in the Manhattan Family Courthouse, and got to work. Under the guidance of CAW Teaching Artists Hazza Block and Sofi Pujol, and Teaching Artist Assistant-in-Training Cristy Navas, the YAs quickly gravitated towards areas where they could each contribute to the project. Some took on the challenge of learning Adobe InDesign, while others took on hand-drawn and digital illustrations and typography.
Kelsy Del Valle
“A lot of people who visit Family Court don't want to be here. We made it our mission to bring light to these people. We wanted the guidebook to make people feel safe and welcomed.”
Ijeoma Umelo
“We acquired a set of skills that were vital to the redesign of the whole guidebook, and learned how to make it readable and enjoyable for anybody interested in partaking in services within Family Court.”
At the same time, the team learned from employees of The Court about their work, roles, responsibilities. Our YAs also heard stories that humanized the mission of The Court. After only a week, the team pitched three design ideas to our client.
Three Designs
Design #1
Design #2
Design #3
A one-footed seagull who lives on the roof of Manhattan Family Court became a recurring character in the guidebook
Our client ultimately chose elements from all three. They were impressed by the color palette, illustrations, typography, and hand-drawn elements our YAs presented. They were charmed by the idea of incorporating a beloved a one-footed seagull who has returned to the roof of Manhattan Family Court annually for more than 20 years. And, yes, the guidebook includes several images of CAW artwork that can be found at Family Courthouses throughout the boroughs.
The final guidebook represents all sorts of families. Sections include information on the mission and functions of the courthouse, resources for families, community outreach, and opportunities to work or volunteer at The Court.
The Big Reveal
There was a sizable turnout for the presentation of the final guidebook, including many prominent members of the New York State judiciary. In attendance were Ruth Whalen, First Deputy Chief Clerk, NYC Family Court; Anne-Marie Jolly, Administrative Judge, NYC Family Court; Peter Passidomo, Deputy Administrative Judge for New York City Family Courts; Adam Silvera, Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for New York City Courts; Karen Lupuloff, Supervising Judge, New York County Family Court; Llinét Rosado, Associate Justice of the Appellate Division, First Department; Edwina G. Richardson, Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for Justice Initiatives; and Rowan Wilson, Chief Judge of the State of New York and the NY Court of Appeals.
“The guidebook these Youth Apprentices created is remarkable. It is a fusion of art and information that transforms confusion into clarity, replaces uncertainty with understanding. Through many edits, these young artists reminded me that emotion is what transforms us from passive observers to engaged participants. When we share those emotions through art and stories, we create connections. This guidebook will reach thousands of families and provide a crucial starting point for navigating Family Court.”
“These young people devoted countless hours of thought, effort, and heart to this project. They had to research, they had to write, they had to redesign and refine this brochure that is not just for a few people, it’s for everyone in New York City who has a question about what goes on in Family Court. I’m confident too, that you’re going to see the mission and the vision that we have within our court displayed in a heartfelt and inspiring way.”
“My heart is so, so very, very full as I greet you today for so many reasons. I appreciate and admire all things artistic, and you all have beautified our courts for a number of years. I want to thank you for bringing the art, the passion, the love, and the skill into every space you enter. Art belongs everywhere, and it especially belongs in our Family Courts.”
“Sometimes people say, ‘Oh, I’m not really creative.’ They think of creativity as being primarily artistic. But creativity is, at its essence, the ability to imagine something into being, to see something that needs to be but doesn’t exist yet–or that needs to be solved, or that needs to be changed–and to have the hope and the courage to confront that blank canvas and fill that void, to create those solutions.”
Read about our team of Youth Apprentices in the commemorative brochure
Check out the Family Court Guide that our Youth Apprentices produced
Teaching Staff
Hazza Block
Teaching Artist
Sofia Pujol
Teaching Artist
CAW Staff
Karen Jolicoeur
Executive Director
Ian Newton
Director of Finance & Administration
Clair Vogel
Development Manager
Jill Goldstein
Human Resources & Office Manager
Scott Lucas
Manager of Marketing & Communications
Cristyana Navas
Teaching Artist Assistant-in-Training
Donna Manganello
Program Manager
Kevin Claiborne
Program Manager
Riki Sabel
Program Manager of Teaching & Learning
Emilio Vides-Curnen
Operations Coordinator
Madeline De León
Program Coordinator
Ivory Nunez-Medrano
Community Artmaking Initiatives Coordinator
