At Imaginarium, we believe art is most powerful when it’s shared. Our mission is to connect children with important artists, spark their creativity, and tie learning to what’s happening in our community. We don’t just teach about art—we invite families to experience it together.

With fall approaching, the days grow shorter and cooler, and families naturally find themselves spending more time indoors. It’s the perfect season to slow down, gather around the table, and enjoy creative projects that bring everyone together.

This fall, we’re drawing inspiration from Yayoi Kusama, the internationally celebrated Japanese artist known for her whimsical polka dots and playful pumpkin sculptures. Kusama’s work is colorful, approachable, and instantly engaging for children, making her a perfect artist for families to explore. Even more exciting, Kusama’s art is currently on view at the Dallas Museum of Art, giving Dallas families a unique opportunity to see her imaginative world firsthand. 

To extend that experience beyond the museum walls, Imaginarium is providing simple, step-by-step instructions for creating “polka dot pumpkins” at home. This activity blends the spirit of fall with Kusama’s signature style, giving parents and children a way to sit down together, laugh, and create something joyful. It’s a reminder that art is not just something we visit in a gallery—it can live on our kitchen tables, in our hands, and in the shared moments between parent and child.

At Imaginarium, we are passionate about building these kinds of bridges—between children and great artists, between families and their community, and between everyday life and creative discovery. Whether it’s a museum visit, a kitchen-table project, or a spark of imagination on a fall afternoon, art is everywhere, waiting to be explored together.

Create Your Own Kusama-Inspired Pumpkin. Bring the magic of Yayoi Kusama’s All the Eternal Love I Have for the Pumpkins into your home this fall with this easy, polka-dot pumpkin art project.

1- Remove a baseball-sized handful of clay from your bucket, roll the clay into a smooth ball and place it on a smooth surface to flatten the bottom slightly.

2 - Use the smooth side of the knife to gently press sections into the ball to make the pumpkin sides.

3 - Place the pumpkin on the table and press your finger in the center to make an indentation for the stem. 

4 - Use a small amount of clas from your bucket and roll into a snake shape, flatten the bottom and top. Then attach to your pumpkin to make the stem.

5 - Let the pumpkin dry until solid and white. 

6 - Paint the pumpkin yellow and let dry.

7 - Add black polka dots to your pumpkin and Enjoy!