Saturday Open Studio - May 24, 2025
Free with Museum Admission
Saturday, May 24, 2025
1 - 4 pm
Bertucci Education Studio
Stencil a Hat
Stop by the Bertucci Education Studio and join us for a drop-in, Stencil a Hat activity designed by Polly Thayer Starr Visiting Artist Rocky Cotard. Open Studios are free with Museum Admission, and participation is on a first-come, first-served basis.
This activity invites the participants to use stenciling to create a hat of their own design. The hat is inspired by Toussaint Louverture, the revolutionary that was a part of the Haitian acclamation of their freedom. The hats are meant to be fun and also bring the participants into the artist's creative process.
About the Artist
Photo courtesy of the artist
Rocky Cotard, born in Mirebalais, Haiti, and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, is an illustrator and fine artist who finds color in everything. His work unveils the seams that bind us, sharing both the difficult and beautiful aspects of his cultural history, paving the way for others to confront their own. He returns to Haiti, his source of inspiration, as often as possible to reconnect with his roots. His body of work depicts the perspective of the Haitian Diaspora, challenging the narrow representation often portrayed in the media.
Cotard earned his BFA in Illustration with a minor in Fine Arts from Lesley University and has worked as a freelance artist, collaborating on books such as The Revolution That Gave Birth to Haiti. In 2022, he won the Mural Masters competition in Cambridge and was invited to showcase a solo exhibition at the Ishibashi Gallery at the Middlesex School. In 2023, Cotard led a community engagement event at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, followed by a panel discussion on his creative background. One of his pieces from the Don’t Call Me Sugar installation is currently displayed in the president’s office at Simmons University. His notable collaborators include Partners In Health, Simmons University, and the Rhode Island School of Design. Cotard continues to work in his Rhode Island home studio, creating art that speaks to his experiences and heritage.
TICKETS I MUSEUM ADMISSION
Open Studios are free with Museum Admission, and participation is drop-in on a first-come, first served basis. Advance registration for General Admission is encouraged.
Purchase your ticket by clicking on the GET TICKETS button above.
Questions about accessibility? Please call the Box Office at 617 278 5156 to request accessible or companion seating, or to inquire about other accommodations in advance of the program.
Studio activities are made possible by the Polly Thayer Starr Charitable Trust. The Museum is also supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, which receives support from the State of Massachusetts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Polly Thayer Starr (1904-2006) was an accomplished artist who captured the culture and whimsy of her native Boston with a unique combination of detail, emotion, and curiosity. For more, visit the Polly Thayer Starr Charitable Trust online at www.pollythayerstarr.org.
