Artists Rising: Visions from the Teen Studio

We are proud to present Artists Rising: Visions from the Teen Studio at the Studio in a School Association Gallery in New York City. This exhibition is comprised of work of the 48 young artists from 17 New York City public high schools who participated in our free Studio Intensives art workshops in Fall 2022.

Agnes Gund, Founder of Studio in a School, with Stacy R., the young artist whose work was featured on the exhibition invitation.

Congratulations to the teen artists, their families, and the artist instructors represented in this show. We are honored to share these portfolio-ready artworks, by our rising young artists, which will be on display through April 7, 2023.

Attendees at the opening reception on February 23, included Agnes Gund, founder of Studio in a School; Studio in a School Association board members Dr. Hasna Muhammad and Mary Mattingly; and Studio Institute president Tom Cahill, as well as families and friends of the featured artists.

Studio Intensives offer free art training to New York City public high school students in grades 10–12 who are considering applying to Bachelor of Fine Arts programs. These Saturday workshops provide a point of convergence for teens from across the city, who meet weekly to create art and share artworks. Led by Studio artist instructors and our Teen Programs staff, Studio Intensives classes include individual guidance and support the teens’ college goals and interests. 

The Portfolio Development Intensive helps to develop the drawing techniques needed for admission to art schools. Working with live models providing short and longer poses, the students created an array of charcoal figure drawings, which are on display in this exhibition. The teen artists also developed oil pastel techniques and perspective studies by creating cityscapes. The pastel drawings in the gallery demonstrate their observations and viewpoints; their work reflects personal choices and presents unique portraits of our city. 

In the Painting Intensive, teens produced rich, dimensional acrylic paintings featuring snippets of their personal lives—from cherished objects and pets to their favorite locations—utilizing advanced painting techniques, such as creating paint layers, color mixing, and managing paint palettes. 

We hope you have the opportunity to see—and be inspired by—these visions from the teen studio.