Best. Ever. for Art. Period.
Community Review for Artsonia Kids Art Museum
My Take
I started using Artsonia 6 years ago. The concept was very intimidating at first (I put it off for 3 years), but having all of our students' artwork readily at our fingerprints sold me, hands down. Artsonia has an amazing staff and awesome support videos that walk you through getting it set up. Literally you email them 1 excel spreadsheet (that your secretary can do in 3 mins.) and you have all of your students in. I started with my own phone, and in a few months, I had earned money earned from Artsonia to buy an iPad. Once my principal saw the engagement, response from parents, and how I use it as a teaching tool, she purchased 6 mini iPads and a docking station for me. My 2nd - 5th Graders do all the work on uploading their own. K & 1 are uploaded by a special team of 5th Graders I choose.
How I Use It
My students' and I use Artsonia to see other students Art Projects, people we know and people we don't. We use their Portfolios so that a student can see what they've done in the past. Artist Statements bring a rich layer of context to the viewer. Our parents absolutely love it, since they get an email every time one of their students' works is published. I've heard from tons of parents/grandparents with such outpouring of love: i.e. "I live 2 hours away, and this makes me connected to my grandchild!" This is truly the ultimate advocacy/teaching tool that every Art Educator needs. I encouraged my Middle School colleague to do it, and now my students graduate to her and the kids continue growing their portfolios. It doesn't get better than that. I have got back the time I invested into this back 10-fold.