The Art Effect

Congratulations To Our 2020 Congressional Art Award Winners

Two students at The Art Effect, Anneke Chan and Alyssa Palermo, received competitive grand prizes from their Congressional district at this year’s Congressional Art Competition. The Congressional Art Competition, sponsored by the Congressional Institute, invites high school students to submit their work for recognition and encouragement of artistic talent in our nation. Winners are selected and recognized in their district as well as at an annual awards ceremony in Washington, D.C where their works will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building for one year. Since 1982, more than 650,000 students have participated in this prestigious award competition.  The Art Effect is proud to have two of this year’s young artist winners studying under the instruction of our talented teaching artist staff. Good artists are often mentored by great art teachers, and The Art Effect is proud to work with many of them to help students reach their creative potential. Anneke Chan is the salutatorian at Haldane High School in Cold Spring, NY, who plans to pursue a dual degree in studio art and anthropology at Tufts University in the fall. Her winning piece, “Pool Party,” can be seen below. Anneke often draws influence from the art of Edward Hopper and Jenny Saville, the writings of Sylvia Plath, and her own family’s history. Anneke joined The Art Effect last summer at the Summer Art Institute Program after hearing about the school at the Scholastic Art Award show at SUNY New Paltz in January 2019. Anneke recently exhibited her artwork at The Trolley Barn Gallery as part of her Senior Project Course with The Art Effect.

Alyssa Palermo is a student at F.D. Roosevelt High School in Hyde Park, NY. Her piece, “Adolescent Sunsets,” is a “beautiful tribute to childhood and shows an advanced understanding of painting at a young age,” says Rep. Delgado in his announcement on June 9th. Alyssa began her journey with The Art Effect back in 2009, attending Dutchess Arts Camp for 8 years before moving into the Junior Art Institute and finally the advanced-level Art Institute. She has grown up with Mill Street Loft and The Art Effect, developing her artistic ability every step of the way.  Please join us in celebrating these two exemplary young artists from the Hudson Valley and the national recognition they have been awarded. The Art Effect is so proud of Anneke and AIyssa’s accomplishments. We look forward to seeing what they to create going forward.

D-Lit 2020: Digital Literacy and Leadership Intensive

Get creatively charged this summer with D-Lit – a digital literacy, leadership and technology intensive academy. Open to students ages 11-14 from the City of Poughkeepsie. At The Art Effect, teens will learn to use digital technology for media literacy, internet safety, artistic creation, music production, and more! This virtual program will be held via Zoom, Monday – Friday from August 10th – August 21st from 2pm – 4pm. All supplies, including snacks and iPad loan will be delivered to each resident’s home prior to August 10th. This program is in partnership with Marist College. Students must be enrolled in the Marist Liberty Partnership Program to participate. Applications can be filled out online. Any questions, please e-mail Crystal.Purfield@Marist.edu [pdf-embedder url=”https://thearteffect.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/D-Lit-2020.pdf” title=”D-Lit 2020″] Related: Summer Youth Employment Program seeks applications for Dutchess County Youth ages 14 – 18 this summer

Apply Now For The Summer Youth Employment Program

The Art Effect is now accepting applications for Spark Studios and MADLab summer youth employment programs. The two programs will be held for six weeks this summer and youth will be paid minimum wage for their participation. 

Dutchess County youth interested in filmmaking, media production, visual arts, landscape design, public art, and design careers are encouraged to apply today!

Youth must be between 14-18 years old, live in Dutchess County, and TANF-eligible in order to participate. Click here for the full application, which must be submitted to Dutchess One Stop. Be sure to click “Visual Arts” or “Film/Media Production” to be considered for The Art Effect’s programs.

Got questions about how to get involved or where to submit your application? Contact us at info@thearteffect.org

Dutchess Arts Camps Nurture Creativity and Friendship

Nine years ago, two six year old best friends attended Dutchess Arts Camp, run by The Art Effect for the very first time. Sadly, on January 11, 2017 one of the friends passed away from brain cancer at the age of 11. Owen Stier and Theo Alves truly embody the spirit and joy that Dutchess Arts Camp strives to provide children throughout the Hudson Valley for almost 40 years .

Owen and Theo had been best friends and inseparable since they were babies. Together the boys attended camp every summer for five years, enjoying each other’s company and creating fantastical flights of artistic fancy. 

Fundraising

The summer after Theo’s passing, Owen could not bear to attend camp without his good friend, but in 2018 he returned with a plan to honor his friend and raise money for brain cancer research in Theo’s name. While living without Theo continued to be difficult for Owen, he wanted to create ways to celebrate Theo’s memory and their friendship. In addition to raising funds for cancer research, he began raising funds for a scholarship to give other children the opportunity to experience the place he and Theo both loved: Dutchess Arts Camp.

Owen raised $570 dollars that summer and continued to raise money for the scholarship fund for the rest of the year, raising a total of $2,000. Each day of camp Owen collected money at the front door and at the final showcase where families are invited to come see all of the camper’s work. The Art Effect’s Theo Alves Scholarship Fund was established in celebration of a friendship between two boys and their love for art camp.

The Importance of Summer Camp

“Camp is an important part of a child’s social development. Dutchess Arts Camp not only fosters a child’s creativity but helps improve their social skills, and increases their sense of belonging as well as independance and values such as empathy”. Says Nicole Fenichel-Hewitt, Executive Director.

For decades, The Art Effect’s Dutchess Arts Camps have enriched and empowered local youth through art and exploration. With locations in Poughkeepsie, Millbrook, Red Hook, and New Paltz, The Art Effect provides high quality arts education to young people throughout the Hudson Valley, even through the COVID crisis. While only the Poughkeepsie camp will be running this summer, The Art Effect hopes to return to all its campuses next year. For more information on The Art Effect’s 2020 Dutchess Art Camp summer program options for children ages 4-10, visit thearteffect.org/summer

What to take with us from ARTS for Justice – An Op-Ed from Azia Zhane’ Brown

(Haz clic aquí para leer en español) Saturday, June 6, 2020 is now like many other days in this year for me; it’s a day to be remembered. The Art Effect hosted an event titled “Arts For Justice” and I was asked to lead a workshop which I had mixed emotions about accepting initially. You see, in this current state of our world, I’m feeling openly exhausted by the heaviness of yet another unjust killing due to police brutality. As a black woman and educator, this news pains me deeply and paralyzes me with feelings of hurt, anger and fear for my black sons, husband, father, students-and the list goes on. However, I became an artist to be able to express myself in these very moments of pain. To give meaning to my thoughts in the absence of words…so I said “YES” to leading the workshop. I led the workshop “Memorial of the Fallen” with the objective to have visitors join in a community collaboration piece, using artistic fonts to write inspirational messages to those we have lost to police brutality and have their voice be heard. My workshop took place alongside six other activities that allowed people to amplify their voices via poster and mask painting, chalk murals and digital documentary. I saw positive engagement and young people turning out to help make the event an overall success. My personal takeaway however is this…

• #AmplifyBlackVoices in ANY way, shape, form or fashion!
• Please take a moment to teach your children and the children around you, through other means of expression. Many times the media focuses on fear!
• Expose them to #blacklives in every genre so they may be educated on how amazing a people we are. Allowing them to learn from us, befriend us and respect our humanity is the key to change.
• #ART has always been a bridge standing in the gaps of where words and actions cross paths.
• Protest comes in many forms, choose the one that works for you and DO THAT!

#ARTHeals I encourage you all to use it, feel it and support it. Written by Azia Zhane’ Brown Owner & Artist of Zhane’s Palette Studio www.zhanespalettestudio.com IG: @zhanespalette

---

Images from the Arts for Justice Event

no images were found

Reel Exposure 2020: A Digital Spectacle

“Art is a way to make things feel real. Artists infuse their own personal views and experiences within what they make and it’s only through their experience that you can understand other perspectives. And a lot of times if you’re removed from that situation or that perspective, art is the only way that you can come to fully understand that situation, that perspective, and I think it’s for that reason that diversity in all manners of art is important for perspective. All the way through the line. So, it makes social change more real and physical and tangible.” – Chris St. Lawrence, director of “Words Apart,” during the 2020 Reel Exposure Winners Q&A

The Art Effect wrapped up last month with our annual Reel Exposure International Teen Film and Photography Festival, but this year things were a little different. Due to COVID-19 precautions our festival was initially pushed back from our first festival date and grew into a three day weekend event with different short film screenings each night online, a virtual gallery experience, and an awards ceremony and Q & A with the festival winners on the final night of the festival. This year’s digital Reel Exposure took place May 29-31 and ended up being viewed by nearly 750 people from 10 different countries.

“Last year, which was my freshman year, I started taking a photography class and I really found a passion for photography and found that it can be more than taking pictures and you can actually tell stories through the photos.” -Audrey Basham, photographer of “Our Biggest Ties To The World Before They Snap,” during the 2020 Reel Exposure Winners Q&A

Reel Exposure International Teen Film and Photography Festival showcased work from around the world and some of our winners like Oisín-Tomás Ó Raghallaigh and Julian Schmiederer stayed up until the wee hours of the morning in Northern Ireland and Austria to share their thoughts and processes in the Sunday Q&A session with the available festival winners emceed by The Art Effect’s festival hosts Mary Ellen Iatropoulos and Naajia Villa on Zoom. Two more winners were announced on Monday, June 1, when we tallied up the final votes in our Film & Photo Audience Choice Awards. The film showcases from each night were available for viewing through the end of the festival, but our 3D digital gallery exhibition of photographs, created by The Art Effect alumni Imyra Maxwell, is still open for viewing. Click here to view it on a mobile device or click here if you are browsing through a laptop or personal computer. Reel Exposure 2020’s Film Winners Grounding — by Oisín-Tomás Ó Raghallaigh *First Place Winner – Film* Pressure — by Julian Pixel Schmiederer *Second Place – Film* Worlds Apart — by Chris St. Lawrence *Third Place – Film* Writer’s Block — by Jake Tannenbaum *Audience Choice Award – Film*

---

Reel Exposure 2020’s Photo Winners Monotone City — by Sebastian Hudson *First Place Winner – Photography* Etchings Scrawled Across a Pretty Face — by Julia Rossillon *Second Place – Photography* Our Biggest Ties To The World Before They Snap — by Audrey Basham *Third Place – Photography* Folk Artists of Peru — by Leonardo Rinaldi *Audience Choice Award – Photography* Special thanks to Reel Exposure hosts Naajia Renee Villa & Mary Ellen Iatropoulos, the Hudson Valley Additive Manufacturing Center (HVAMC) at SUNY New Paltz, who printed this year’s 3D Reel Exposure trophies, and to all our dedicated Reel Exposure judges this year: Jesse Brown, Beth Davenport, Stephen Honicki, Thomas Pearson, John Rizzo, Camilo Rojas, Kevin Sheffield, and Shawn Strong.

---

Reel Exposure is made possible, in part, through funding from Dutchess Tourism, administered by Arts Mid-Hudson and support from Dyson Foundation, New York State Council on the Arts, Vassar Brothers Institute Donor Advised Fund of the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley, and FairGame Arts Grant.

Summer is almost here | June 2020 Newsletter

Click here to learn about the the Arts For Justice event taking place this Saturday, get the latest updates on The Art Effect’s plans for the summer, and more…

June 6: Arts for Justice Event at The Art Effect

(Haz clic aquí para leer en español) Join The Art Effect in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement this Saturday at a FREE youth open studios event. Your voice will be heard through drawing, painting, photography, film, and more. Art can help process emotions, express opinions, and build community. Drop in for a quick visit or stay longer to create art with powerful and personal meaning. COVID-19 health protocols will be followed and all attendees will adhere to social distancing requirements.For more information about this event, contact lauren@thearteffect.org, Where & When: The Art Effect @ 45 Pershing Avenue Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 Saturday, June 6 from 1pm-5pm

• Please take note of the following:

• • No more than 10 visiting individuals will be inside at a time, but there will be outside options while you wait!
  • Bring your own mask and gloves
  • Use hand sanitizer provided by The Art Effect before each activity
  • Due to Covid-19, no food will be provided

Artmaking Activities

Memorial of the Fallen: Led by Azia Brown In this community collaboration, use artistic fonts to write inspirational messages to those we have lost to police brutality and have your voices be heard. Outdoor Chalk Murals: Led by Carly Forestieri Bring your passion beyond the borders of a canvas or camera frame. Use chalk to decorate The Art Effect’s parking lot with quotes, symbols, and imagery. Design Your Own Masks & T-Shirts: Led by Jaime Morrow Create artwork you can wear! Bring an old or blank t-shirt or an extra mask from home and completely redesign it with acrylic paint to express your passion creatively. Art Speaks Louder: Led by Lauren Hollick Whether you are illustrating an emotional scene or creating your own Black Lives Matter poster, use acrylic, watercolor, ink, and/or oil pastels to make your creative voice heard. Focus on Justice: Led by Zach Reid Use the power of an image to create your own bold snapshots through stand-alone photos or a whole series designed to tell the story YOU want. Truth Booth: Share your thoughts, fears, experiences, hopes, dreams with the world! You can be filmed as part of The Art Effect’s “Truth Booth” to become a part of a video that will showcase Poughkeepsie youth voices.

Creativity Keeps Flowing This Summer at The Art Effect

The Art Effect has adapted its summer programming for youth ages 4-19 to keep the creativity flowing while adhering to state and local Coronavirus guidelines. Expanded offerings for each age group — Arts Camp (ages 4-10), Summer Intermediate Arts Program (ages 11-13), and Summer Art Institute (ages 14-19) — will be available to those who wish to attend virtually or in-person. For decades, The Art Effect’s summer programs, Dutchess Arts Camp, Junior Art Institute (now called Summer Intermediate Arts Program), and Summer Art Institute, have enriched and empowered local youth through art and exploration. Now, with the region cautiously re-opening, The Art Effect has reimagined and expanded its summer programs in order to continue to provide high quality arts education to young people throughout the Hudson Valley. Parents of children ages 4-10 can choose from three options: Arts Camp Video Package, which includes ten video lessons and corresponding supplies kits designed specifically by experienced teaching artists; Virtual Arts Camp, for live remote instruction, with morning circles and afternoon sing-alongs; and traditional Dutchess Arts Camp, should in-person summer camps be allowed to take place, at Poughkeepsie Day School. Scheduled for July 6 – 31 with smaller group sizes to ensure a safe yet fun experience, Dutchess Arts Camp will engage campers and take them on a unique creative journey. The Summer Intermediate Arts Program for middle school-aged students combines the fun and artistic exploration of Dutchess Arts Camp with the skills-building of the Junior Art Institute. Young artists will discover the power of creative self-expression while learning new skills in painting portraits and landscapes, creating 3-D sculptures, and experimenting with mixed media. Young artists can choose from three options: ten downloadable video lessons; a 2-week, half-day virtual program; or a 2-week, full-day, in-person program at the Trolley Barn, 481 Main St Poughkeepsie, from July 27 – Aug 7. The Art Effect’s Summer Art Institute (SAI) is for artistically motivated teens ages 14-19 to develop their creativity and build skills that prepare them for advanced study and careers in the visual arts. This summer’s focus will be drawing and painting and will take place at the Trolley Barn from July 6 – July 24. Those unable to attend in person can participate in SAI virtually: “Zoom-in” students will receive remote access to in-person classroom sessions and will participate fully in class activities, assignments, and discussions. Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, The Art Effect has continued to serve the community and support young people in harnessing their creative voices for positive social change by providing the platform, materials, and direction to continue to stay connected, motivated, and hopeful for the future. By providing expanded options and new programs this summer, The Art Effect plans to serve a wide constituency with high-quality arts programs, both virtual and in-person. “The Art Effect continues to provide engaging programs for young people during this unprecedented time,” says Gaye Mallet, Chair of the Board of Directors at The Art Effect and Vice President of Human Resources & Organizational Development at Adams Fairacre Farms, Inc., “We are proud to innovate and expand our summer programs in direct response to the needs of families across the Hudson Valley. We expect a busy summer as parents and children look for outlets for their creative energy!” Visit thearteffect.org/summer for more information and pricing. In-person programming is subject to change in response to state and local guidelines.

Reel Exposure Goes Virtual!

The Art Effect’s Reel Exposure International Teen Film & Photo Festival Goes Virtual! The ​Reel Exposure International Teen Film & Photo Festival ​will be held as a virtual 3-day festival and exhibition, premiering Friday through Sunday, May 29-31, 2020, as The Art Effect embraces this new “reality” by going digital! Out of over 100 films and 300 photos submitted by young people, only 15 short films and 50 photos made the final cut for the festival. ​To showcase the jury-selected works, there will be a virtual exhibition of selected photographs and three live screenings roughly 30 minutes each, held at 7pm each evening over the course of the weekend. After the final films on Sunday, May 31, there will be a very special awards presentation announcing the winners of this year’s competition and a live Q & A with the young filmmakers and photographers. The Art Effect’s annual event is an important showcase that encourages youth creativity, invigorates our local community through the arts, and showcases the incredible work done by the next generation of art and media-makers. Viewers can expect to see a mix​ of film genres ​in this year’s lineup​, including comedies, dramas, animations, environmental documentaries, and music videos​.​ Finalists from all over the world produced films for the festival, with pieces from Ireland, Austria, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and throughout the United States — including films created by youth in Poughkeepsie. Photographs were submitted from around the country and range from surreal narrative to documentary photography. “This is the first time we’re able to host a true, multi-day arts festival, live from Poughkeepsie,” says Nicole Fenichel-Hewitt, Executive Director of The Art Effect, “With the opportunity to view films online for three nights in a row, experience pre-recorded and live video portions of the event, and participate virtually in a stunning photography exhibition, this year’s ​Reel Exposure​ event is truly a step towards digital innovation in the arts in Dutchess County.” The new online format will allow viewers to share their opinions by voting in​ our Audience Choice Poll for Best Photo and Best Film. Results will be posted on Monday, June 1. ​The festival is created for audiences at least 13 years of age. ​Visit ​thearteffect.org/reel-exposure​ for more information and to access the poll, virtual photo exhibition and live screenings during the festival on May 29-31. Reel Exposure films can be also viewed live on YouTube and Facebook at 7pm on May 29, 30, and 31. Pre-registration is recommended at http://weblink.donorperfect.com/ReelExposure2020 Reel Exposure is made possible, in part, through funding from Dutchess Tourism, administered by Arts Mid-Hudson and support from Dyson Foundation, New York State Council on the Arts, Vassar Brothers Institute Donor Advised Fund of the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley, and FairGame Arts Grant.

https://youtu.be/A7FcW5Ah72U

¡El Festival Internacional de Cine y Foto para Adolescentes The Reel Exposure de Art Effect se vuelve virtual! El Festival Internacional de Cine y Foto para Adolescentes Reel Exposure se llevará a cabo como un festival y exposición virtual de 3 días, desde el viernes 29 al domingo 31 de mayo de 2020, mientras The Art Effect abraza esta nueva “realidad digital” De más de 100 películas y 300 fotos enviadas por jóvenes, solo 15 cortometrajes y 50 fotos hicieron el corte final para el festival. Para exhibir las obras seleccionadas por el jurado, habrá una exposición virtual de fotografías seleccionadas y tres proyecciones en vivo de aproximadamente de 30 minutos cada una y se llevará a cabo a las 7pm cada noche durante el fin de semana. Después de las películas finales, el domingo 31 de mayo habrá una presentación de premios muy especial, donde anunciarán a los ganadores de la competencia de este año y también habrá un debate de preguntas y respuestas en vivo con los jóvenes cineastas y fotógrafos. El evento anual de Art Effect es una exhibición importante que fomenta la creatividad juvenil, vigoriza a nuestra comunidad local a través de las artes y muestra el increíble trabajo realizado por la próxima generación de creadores de arte y medios. Los espectadores pueden esperar ver una mezcla de géneros cinematográficos en la programación de este año, incluyendo comedias, dramas, animaciones, documentales ambientales y videos musicales. Los finalistas de todo el mundo produjeron películas para el festival, con piezas de Irlanda, Austria, la República Islámica del Irán y en todo Estados Unidos, incluidas películas creadas por jóvenes en Poughkeepsie. Se enviaron fotografías de todo el país y van desde la narrativa surrealista hasta la fotografía documental. Visite thearteffect.org/reel-exposure/​ para ver un video promocional de películas que se mostrarán en el festival. “Con la oportunidad de ver películas en línea durante tres noches seguidas, experimentar partes de video pregrabadas, disfrutar del en vivo del evento y participar virtualmente en una impresionante exhibición de fotografía, el evento Reel Exposure de este año es realmente un paso hacia la innovación digital en las artes en Condado de Dutchess, esta es la primera vez que podemos organizar un verdadero festival de arte de varios días en vivo desde Poughkeepsie” dice Nicole Fenichel-Hewitt, Directora Ejecutiva de The Art Effect. El nuevo formato en línea permitirá a los televidentes compartir sus opiniones votando en nuestra Encuesta de elección de audiencia para la mejor foto y la mejor película. Los resultados se publicarán el lunes 1 de junio. El festival está creado para audiencias de al menos de 13 años de edad. Visite thearteffect.org/reel-exposure para obtener más información, acceder a la encuesta, la exposición de fotos virtuales y a las proyecciones en vivo durante el festival. Las películas de Reel Exposure también se pueden ver en vivo en YouTube y Facebook a las 7:00 pm los días 29, 30 y 31 de mayo. Se recomienda preinscribirse en http://weblink.donorperfect.com/ReelExposure2020 La exposición de cortometrajes es posible, en parte, a través de fondos de Dutchess Tourism, administrados por Arts Mid-Hudson y el apoyo de la Fundación Dyson, el Consejo de las Artes del Estado de Nueva York, el Fondo Asesor de Donantes del Instituto Vassar Brothers de las Fundaciones Comunitarias del Valle de Hudson y FairGame Arts Grant.