ArtArtArtArt----WorkWorkWorkWork is a series of 5 innovative, breakthrough one-day workshops created by The Art Institute of Chicago and
Catalyst Ranch, which applies a unique, arts-based learning approach to corporate training. These interactive workshops are
designed to develop critical professional skills through the experience of art observation. The sessions are co-led by an
experienced Corporate Trainer and an Art Institute Educator using the vast resources available at the Art Institute of Chicago
and the stimulating environment of Catalyst Ranch, a unique conference center located in the West Loop.
How do you train using ArtArtArtArt----WorkWorkWorkWork?
The morning starts in the galleries of the Art Institute with a series of progressive exercises that utilize visual observation
techniques. The exercises and discussions are guided by the Corporate Trainer and the Art Educator, each leveraging their
unique skill sets to enrich the conversation and learning. There is no art training required from the participants, which levels the
playing field in the discussion. Everyone’s observations have validity and there is no one correct answer to what is being
depicted in the artwork. By listening to each other’s perspectives, a new dialogue is possible and the mind is opened up to a
different way of perceiving and interpreting the world around it.
The experience continues in the afternoon in the highly creative environment of Catalyst Ranch. Art-based activities are used
strategically to create safety, build trust, find shared values, and shift perceptions. Combining right-brain imagination with left-
brain logic and analysis increases the capacity for breakthrough ideas and insights that lead to success.
“Art-based activities can be used strategically to
create safety, build trust, find shared values, and
shift perceptions. Combining right-brain
imagination with left-brain logic and analysis
increases the capacity for breakthrough ideas and
insights that lead to success.”
Linda Naiman,
author of Orchestrating Collaboration at Work
Why an arts-based approach?
“Art is an essential discovery process that allows leaders to explore their creative potential, bring forth tacit
knowledge, synthesize understanding, develop collaborative skills, and transform abstract insights into products in
the physical world. By asking different questions, seeking different sorts of explanations, and looking at different
points of view, art helps different answers emerge. With America’s global competitiveness hanging in the balance,
the business community is a natural ally to the cause of art.”
Hamsa Thota and Harvey Seifter
There are many effective ways for people to learn to work together in new ways. Since your team is striving to create brilliance
in their own way at work, it makes sense to have them be inspired by real masterpieces. At the Art Institute, some of the finest
works of art in the world are available for your team to learn from. Whether your team is composed of AIC members or people
who’ve never set foot in a museum, arts-based learning challenges them to use their minds, to think differently and discover
new ways to work better. The subjective nature of art is the perfect analogy for work – there are many interpretations and
solutions, and even the original creator doesn’t always know what’s right. This dialogue, sparked by the genius of the masters,
is the perfect metaphor for what happens in the organization. Art provides another lens through which to look at business
problems and identify opportunities. Personal learning and group development seamlessly emerges from the facilitated
discussions.
The corporate community is hungry for new ways to spark creativity and innovation and build strong organizations. As
corporate enterprises seek alternative methods to facing the challenges of building effective and inclusive teams in today’s
competitive and demanding business climate, the ArtArtArtArt----WorkWorkWorkWork workshops are an exciting new tool.
Some Case Studies
The McGraw Hill Companies is a global pioneer in the use of arts-based learning to train leaders, help employees solve
problems creatively, and foster personal growth. Terry McGraw, chairman and CEO of The McGraw Hill Companies,
characterizes creativity as a “business imperative,” and puts his companies’ successful experiences with arts-based learning in a
broad strategic context of “surfacing creativity” through engagement with the arts.
Creativity is essential because it is at the heart of innovation, and innovation is a growth driver and, therefore, a business
imperative. That is why, for several years, The McGraw-Hill companies has been using arts-based learning as a training tool in
several key leadership initiatives…the arts have served as a complementary vehicle to more traditional learning approaches.
They have helped to change attitudes by letting employees confront their assumptions in a nontraditional and non-intimidating
environment….The results of using arts-based learning and training have been very positive for The McGraw-Hill
Companies…Arts-based training is part of an overall strategy and commitment of the corporation to help ‘surface’ creativity
— Excerpt from Journal of Business Strategy (Seifter, 2005)
Other companies who have used the arts for training purposes such as visioning, communication, customer service, and team
development, include: American Express, AT&T, BBC, British Airways, Coca-Cola, Daimler-Chrysler, Dell Computers, Ericsson,
Halifax, Hewlett Packard, Honeywell, IBM, Kodak, Lever Faberge, Lockheed Martin, Marks & Spenser, Mattel, Nike, Pfizer,
Saatchi & Saatchi, Sears, Shell, Skandia, and the World Bank.
ThThThThe Facilitatorse Facilitatorse Facilitatorse Facilitators
Museum Educators
Annie MorseAnnie MorseAnnie MorseAnnie Morse
Annie Morse is Senior Lecturer in Museum
Education and liaison to the academic community.
At the Art Institute, she coordinates the annual
Graduate Student Seminar and a Chicago-based
artist lecture series, Artists Connect. Annie has
been lecturing for the Department of Museum
Education at the Art Institute since 1996. She
graduated from the Master's program in Modern
Art History, Theory, and Criticism at the School of
the Art Institute after earning her undergraduate
degree at the University of California at Santa Cruz,
and recently received her Masters in Library and
Information Science from the University of Illinois
at Urbana-Champaign. She is an independent
curator who has worked with the Contemporary
Arts Council, The Three Arts Club of Chicago, and
the Hyde Park Art Center.
Jeff NigroJeff NigroJeff NigroJeff Nigro
Jeffrey Nigro is an independent art historian,
lecturer and educator. He received his B.A. at
Oberlin College and his M.A. in art history at the
University of Virginia. Jeff has had a professional
relationship with the Art Institute of Chicago for
over 20 years, first as a staff lecturer, then as
Director of Adult Programs in the Department of
Museum Education. He has acted as Study Leader
on Art Institute sponsored trips to Italy, Greece and
Germany, and received the Art Institute Chairman's
Award for outstanding service in 2003. Jeff has
given pre-concert lectures for the Chicago
Symphony Orchestra, both at Symphony Center and
at the Ravinia Festival, and is a frequent speaker for
The Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA).
Jeff was The JASNA Traveling Lecturer for the
Midwest for 2001, and currently serves as Academic
Liaison for the Greater Chicago Region of JASNA.
Margaret Margaret Margaret Margaret FarrFarrFarrFarr
Margaret Farr is a lecturer in the Department of
Museum Education at the Art Institute of Chicago,
where she has also worked as Assistant Director
of Teacher Programs. She received her Ph.D. in
Art history from the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill, where she specialized in
nineteenth-century French art, writing The
Mythologization of the Modern Artist: Van Gogh’s
Published Letters for her master’s thesis and The
Impressionist Portrait: A Study in Context and
Meaning for her dissertation. She previously
worked as the Assistant Director of Education at
the Museum of Contemporary Art, where she
lectured and helped shape education
programming, and has worked as a freelance
lecturer, editor, and evaluator. Margaret has also
taught at Columbia College Chicago and St. Xavier
University.
Corporate Trainers
Adam ShamesAdam ShamesAdam ShamesAdam Shames
Adam Shames (rhymes with “promise”) is a creativity expert,
organizational consultant, workshop facilitator, keynote speaker and
coach. As founder and principal of the Kreativity Network, he has
designed, organized, taught and facilitated interactive workshops and
events for thousands of adults and youth. He designs teambuilding
experiences, seminars and retreats that fully engage participants and
inspire innovation. Adam is a certified trainer for FourSight, an
assessment tool for creative problem solving. His clients include
Accenture, McDonald’s, Edelman Public Relations and the Promotional
Products Association International. Adam is also an accomplished singer-
songwriter and musician, published poet and writer--and occasional
filmmaker, improviser, actor and visual artist. He has a master's degree
in education from Stanford University and cut his teeth designing
experiential activities as a literature and creative writing teacher, voted
"Teacher of the Year" at Menlo School in Atherton, CA.
Leslie MarquardLeslie MarquardLeslie MarquardLeslie Marquard The phrase "we make clients wildly successful" began with a client describing
the Leslie Marquard effect. Her way with questions and on-target guidance have
created a global fan base of leaders and organizations that use her to help them
set, refine, and reach stunning new goals. Her high-tech, collaborative methods
produce actionable outcomes allowing clients to raise their own leadership bars.
Leslie is a veteran leader of Ernst & Young's Chicago-based think tank, and now
owns and operates Marble Leadership Partners. She is also a certified
leadership coach. Past clients include: Nestle, Deloitte Consulting, Wal-Mart,
Bristol-Myers Squibb, Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park and Moody
Broadcasting. Leslie's vast corporate experience also covers utilities, textiles,
pharmaceuticals, aerospace and defense, insurance, banking and healthcare.
She earned her BS degree from Louisiana State University and her executive
coaching certification from Georgetown University.
Troy CiceroTroy CiceroTroy CiceroTroy Cicero
Troy Cicero is a dynamic and engaging Diversity and Inclusion facilitator and
consultant with nearly two decades of consulting services to various corporate
clients. Highly effective at communicating important ideas in practical, useful
ways that encourage individual and institutional accountability, Troy’s unique
facilitation style and use of hands-on strategies ensure that all individuals are
enlightened and empowered to achieve their organizational goals. An emotional
intelligence strategist, Troy has an uncanny ability to convey genuine empathy
and respect as he develops best methods to improve working relationships and
strengthen organizational culture.
Brendan SullivanBrendan SullivanBrendan SullivanBrendan Sullivan Brendan Sullivan is a creativity coach, helping
organizational teams and leaders to generate more
innovative ideas, and to develop the skills necessary to
create an organizational culture of innovation, where fresh
ideas are routinely encouraged, created, explored,
developed, evaluated and implemented. His clients
include Kellogg’s, GE, Nestle Purina, Aetna, Harley-
Davidson, Marriott Hotels, Sara Lee and Jenny Craig.
Brendan’s programs are informed by his career as an
advertising sales manager for the New York Times
Magazine Group, as well as his second career as a
professional Second City trained improvisational performer, coach and teacher since 1988. Brendan still
performs improv regularly on Monday nights at the iO
theater. Brendan’s first novel, “The Living Wills,” was published by Eckhartz Press in 2011. He lives in Chicago
with his wife and four school-aged children.
For additional information or to book a day of ArtArtArtArt----WorkWorkWorkWork, please call Becky Mattson or Arin Mulvaney at
(312) 207-1710.
Our group found the Artwork session incredibly
valuable thanks to the focus the Catalyst Ranch
team puts on ensuring the day and all the exercises
have practical application to the business
challenges you're facing. If you need to challenge
existing paradigms, this is the activity for you!
-Vincent Biroscak, Director of Marketing
Nestle Purina PetCare Company
Learning ObjectivesLearning ObjectivesLearning ObjectivesLearning Objectives
Creativity & InnovationCreativity & InnovationCreativity & InnovationCreativity & Innovation
Using the visual experience of works of art, participants will:
� Understand the creative process and how to access it
individually, collaboratively, and organizationally
� Become aware of new sources of creativity
� Leverage diverse perspectives within
creative/innovative teams for effectiveness,
productivity, and success
� Learn skills for generating, evaluating, and actualizing
new ideas
� Create a culture of Creativity and Innovation
CommunicationCommunicationCommunicationCommunication
Using the visual experience of works of art, participants will
gain:
� A fresh perspective on how honing our
Observational Skills can play a key role in effective
communication in the workplace.
� An Experiential Learning Opportunity through
activities that promote observing, listening,
questioning, and responding to enhance team and
one-on-one communication with other co-workers
and clients.
� An increased awareness and understanding of both
Verbal and Non-Verbal means of communication to
positively impact the team and overall
organizational performance.
� The ability to Develop Deeper Dialogue with co-
workers and clients to solve key organizational
issues.
� Inspiration on how using different communication
methods involving different mental and physical
stimuli can enhance the workplace environment.
Teamwork & CollaborationTeamwork & CollaborationTeamwork & CollaborationTeamwork & Collaboration
Using the visual experience of works of art, participants will:
� Better understand themselves and the unique
perceptions they bring to the team
� Better appreciate the strengths and perspectives of
others
� Gain tools for improved communication and
collaborative process
� Learn how to leverage diverse perspectives to improve
effectiveness, productivity, and success
Diversity and InclusionDiversity and InclusionDiversity and InclusionDiversity and Inclusion
Using the visual experience of works of art, participants
will gain:
� A clear understanding of all forms of diversity
� Skills to better understand themselves and
others within an inclusive work environment in
order to create open, healthy, and productive
relationships
� Increased trust, respect, and communication
across cultures
� Reduced likelihood of judgment
� Improved accountability for personal behavior
LeadershipLeadershipLeadershipLeadership
Using the visual experience of works of art, participants
will:
� Gain new skills to engage with the
complexities of their organizations
� Awaken dormant powers of observation to
help them see more of what's right in front of
them
� Sharpen interpretation skills for confident
decision-making in complex and ambiguous
times
� Access the intelligence of their whole
organization
� Unlock under-developed "dimensions" of
leadership within themselves
Catalyst Ranch is a unique offering for companies who are looking to spark creativity and innovation in corporate teams. Eva
Niewiadomski, Ranch Czarina [owner, designer] of Catalyst Ranch, refugee from spending twenty years in Fortune 500
Corporate America says, “When you bring people off-site, irrespective of the reason, you want them to come with a fresh, open
mind, receptive to new ideas. One way to open the mind and clear it of stale, preconceived notions is to disorient it.
Disorientation is essential to creativity and new thought.” Catalyst Ranch has been successful disorienting its clients and
fostering mountains of new ideas and approaches for over 10 years.
Clients include: Pepsico, Leo Burnett, ConAgra, Beam Global, Chicago Public Schools, AbbVie, McDonald’s, Kraft Foods, AON,
Hillshire Brands, YMCA of the USA, Mondelez and MillerCoors.
Catalyst Ranch 656 W. Randolph St. #3W Chicago, IL 60661 (312) 207-1710