One River School of Art + Design

#mondaythoughts from One River Founder Matt Ross As time ticks by and we think about all the challenges we face, I have a question that I want you to reflect on for a minute: what is your growth plan? Over my career, I’ve spent my time developing talent, leading teams, and building businesses in the media and education space. And over the last few years I’ve become more interested in helping adults improve their quality of their life by making thoughtful investment in themselves. The way I see it, there are three pillars of growth: functional, emotional, and creative, and we all need a plan to stimulate each one. As a natural and committed learner, I’ve been applying a very disciplined approach to my own growth over my lifetime and it has been an essential component of my success, both personally and professionally. Last year I announced that I was writing a book called: Grow or Fold. Today, I am excited to share that I have signed a publishing deal to release the book next January. This begins a new chapter in my life, and I am committed to helping people to become the most aspirational version of themselves. The motivation to grow comes from within… and I’m happy to play my role in helping you along the way. #oneriverschool #transformingarteducation

#mondaythoughts from One River Founder Matt Ross This past Saturday, I popped into our school in Englewood, NJ to participate in a first-time event for us: we participated in a virtual presentation from an artist based in California to over 40 students and it was amazing. Liv Aanrud, whose work is on display right now in the Englewood location, walked our students through her art making process and took questions from our Director and our students. Towards the end of the presentation, two of our students got up to present an artwork that they made that was inspired by Liv and I was blown away by the moment. Nataly Cutz, a 15-year-old Art Shuffle Student, proceeded to talk about the art making experience and the personal connection she had to the subject matter. Nataly is a Latin American girl who is struggling with all the noise and challenges that seem to be facing people of her community today considering the mass deportations. To be clear, this wasn’t a political conversation. This was an honest perspective from a young girl who is trying to be both proud of her heritage and her American citizenship. But the overarching messaging in the news is causing significant stress for young folks like her across the country. Look at her artwork and look at the smile on her face. It makes me feel so proud that, no matter what your beliefs, no matter where you come from, and who you are, at One River School you are accepted and given an opportunity to grow, challenge your senses and utilize art as both a creative outlet and a method of personal expression. And Nataly and her peers inspire us every day to be great at what we do as well. #oneriverschool #transformingarteducation

#mondaythoughts from One River Founder Matt Ross One of the most important goals of One River School is to be “the voice of contemporary art in our communities”. We do this by writing lesson plans that teach “through the lens of living artists” and by producing exhibitions from contemporary artists. All of our schools have recently opened a new exhibition or are just about to, and I can’t say enough about how cool this season’s exhibitions are. Go out and check out the artwork firsthand and you’ll see shows that embody the spirit of contemporary art. For instance, the image that you see above by Liv Aanrud, is a mixed media artwork that was first drawn and then made with tufted yarn. This show opens Saturday in Englewood, NJ and I am so inspired by this work and everything else happening across our system. There are two million working artists in America and I’m so proud that One River School is doing our job to honor their efforts and share their spirit with our communities. #oneriverschool #transformingarteducation

#mondaythoughts from One River Founder Matt Ross There’s no doubt that I am part of a minority in America: those who frequently attend museums! In fact, a survey from 2023 tells us that only 28% of Americans attended a museum in the previous year. Said differently, almost 75% did not attend a museum in 2023! I’m not sure why museum attendance is so low, but it may have something to do with the shift in how we consume entertainment and culture these days. But, let me make a strong argument why attending museums is compelling and in particular, why it’s important to attend an art museum. There are very few places in this world where you could have a mind-expanding experience and engage in things that are purely one of a kind, while also celebrating an important and small ecosystem of makers who spend their life working on their artistic craft. I probably visit art museums ten times over the course of the year, in addition to other cultural museums. While I’m naturally motivated to learn and grow, I also find the experience today to be so much better than any time in my lifetime, because of the audio tours, video engagement, and the presentation from living artists. So, wherever you reside, take a moment and google best art museums near me and book a day or two. Take your friends, spouse, kids, and go challenge your senses. It’s good for your brain. It’s good for our society and you just might find that a switch goes off that motivates you in new and different ways. #oneriverschool #transformingarteducation

#mondaythoughts from One River Founder Matt Ross Now that we are in February and all the “end of year” / “new year” stuff is behind us, I think of this window of time as one where we are “back in the flow”. The period between now and the beginning of summer is the time where we get stuff done and it shouldn’t be all work people! Getting “back in the flow” also means accelerating the time you put into things that enhance your quality of life. We have seen such a boost in our classes at One River School and I really believe it’s because more people are focusing on the intrinsic benefits of spending time doing creative things. And I’m proud to say that we offer the most compelling experience for people of all ages and all skill levels to stretch their minds and invest in their personal growth. If you are new to us, welcome, dig in, have fun and challenge yourself. If you were with us in the past, come on back because what we do is fundamentally important to your health and your development. Lastly, if you haven’t joined us yet, find a way to sample what we do now. Getting in the flow at One River School is a life-changing experience. #oneriverschool #transformingarteducation

#mondaythoughts from One River Founder Matt Ross As I was clicking around Instagram this weekend, I was so happy to see this photo. It demonstrates something I feel so strongly about that is at the essence of what Artmaking does for us when we have a chance to share it with the world. Our student exhibitions have begun and Thalia, who is pictured above with her father, is one of our advanced teen students in Clark, NJ. She is a shining example of One River students who are rocking the stage at our schools right now! Think about what an actor or actress would feel like if they never performed in front of others. Or if a musician didn’t get to play their music live. Well, it’s the same thing if you make visual art and never share it. The feedback that you get coupled with the pride that you feel allows you to bank positive emotional chemistry that helps to fuel your ongoing motivation to grow and challenge yourself to learn. I call it the joy of sharing and it is a special feeling. We have a whole bunch of exhibitions that are continuing to happen so please get out and high five our students, teachers and team who make this happen. It’s a real show that works in very profound ways and the community participation is essential to the experience and to the input that our student artists deserve and require. #oneriverschool #transformingarteducation

#mondaythoughts from One River Founder Matt Ross This month, all of our One River School locations across the country will present their winter student exhibitions, and there is not a more compelling moment to celebrate the work that went into these projects, the skill development that was reinforced along the way, and the joy of sharing these accomplishments with friends and family. Our goal when building our curriculum is to have fun first; it is the way to begin the artmaking process so that we can let our guard down and be open to learning. But we also want to stretch our student’s capacity to grow, and twice a year our exhibition projects exemplify the very best in our methods, teachers and students. I have so much immense pride when I walk through our schools and see the look on our students faces. From adults to kindergarten, there is this sense of pride that is so pure. So, make sure you get out and support the One River community: our students, our families, our teachers, our management team and everyone else in our ecosystem who works so hard to make this happen. It’s Showtime people! #oneriverschool #transformingarteducation

#mondaythoughts from One River Founder Matt Ross When I ask you the following question, what is your first response: Is it the end of the year or the beginning of a new year? Frankly, since it is December 30th, on a technical basis the objective and correct answer is: We are one day away from the end of the year and two days away from the beginning of the new year. ?? But I asked this question in this fashion for another reason. When I have surveyed people in the past with this question, the optimists in the room almost always said it is the beginning of the new year. That doesn’t mean you are a fatalist if you didn’t answer it that way, but truth be told, there is a clear link between optimism and health and happiness. Everywhere you turn you can bump headfirst into someone or something that is negative or trying to drag you down, so I want to make a continued pledge to you: Keep reading my Monday Thoughts and I promise to lift you up always. And, let me be maybe the first person to wish you an incredible and wonderful new year for 2025. May all your wishes and dreams come true and may you also lean into your commitment to do creative things in the new year. Happy and healthy new year to you and your family. #oneriverschool #transformingarteducation

#mondaythoughts from One River Founder Matt Ross The holiday spirit, to me, is about a shared sense of warmth, generosity, and connection. It's the time when people come together—whether with family, friends, or even strangers—to celebrate kindness, express gratitude, and create meaningful moments. It’s the twinkle of lights on a winter evening, the joy of giving and receiving, and the comfort of traditions old and new. More deeply, the holiday spirit is about reflection and renewal. It's a chance to pause and appreciate the good in life, to reach out to those in need, and to foster hope for the future. It’s not tied to material things but to the feelings and actions that remind us of our shared humanity. How about you? What does the holiday spirit mean in your view? #oneriverschool #transformingarteducation

#mondaythoughts from One River Founder Matt Ross As we move through the holiday season towards the end of the year, I wanted to share an artwork / graphic that I stumbled on a few years ago that has resonated with me.?It’s called “The Gratitude Tree” and if you take a minute and really stare at this image, you might also connect with it. If you’re like me and focused on your personal growth and actively managing your mental state, you probably stumble on the topic of gratitude quite often. At 63 years old I have a lot more gratitude than ever before and it probably has a lot to do with the life learnings that I’ve attained and appreciation for the struggles that I’ve overcome. But it also has a lot to do with the fact that I water this tree frequently.?If you don’t consciously focus on the things that you truly appreciate and have gratitude for you are depriving yourself and your brain something truly vital. To this point, I find myself deflecting the noise in the world better than ever and this allows me to look within and focus on appreciating the journey that got me to where I am. I can make a really long list of the things I’m grateful for, but the purpose of today’s Monday Thoughts is to simply share The Gratitude Tree with you in hopes that it triggers an emotion that makes you think a little bit more about what you also appreciate in your life. #oneriverschool #transformingarteducation