Nobuho Nagasawa is a public artist whose work has landed in harbors and parks around the world, and this workshop turns her ecological imagination into something a seven-year-old can do in an afternoon. Everyone invents a creature that could not exist, draws it, and adds it to a shared encyclopedia that grows across the season. If you are ferrying out with kids anyway, this gives the day a purpose beyond the hammocks.
What to expect
It runs as a drop-in session inside The Arts Center with materials laid out on tables, so you can arrive when it suits you rather than at a fixed start. Staff and the artist circulate to help, and finished drawings join the collective encyclopedia rather than going home. Expect a mixed crowd of families and adults working side by side.
Good to know
- Ferries leave from the Battery Maritime Building at 10 South Street and from Brooklyn's Pier 6 and Red Hook.
- The workshop is free with an RSVP requested; the ferry fare is the only cost.
- All ages are welcome and materials are provided — nothing to bring but yourself.
- The Arts Center is a short walk from Soissons Landing and is step-free at the entrance.
- Combine it with the Leslie Wayne exhibition in the same building and the island's outdoor artworks.
- Check the return ferry schedule before settling in; sailings thin out later in the day.
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Common questions
Is the workshop suitable for kids?
Yes. It is billed as all-ages and works as a family activity — children invent and draw hybrid creatures alongside adults, with materials provided.
Do I need to register?
RSVP is requested through LMCC, though the session is free. Registering helps staff prepare enough materials for the group.
What is the Hybrid Animal Encyclopedia?
A collective artwork that grows as visitors contribute drawings of invented creatures across the season, developed with artist Nobuho Nagasawa at The Arts Center.
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