The Art Effect is now accepting applications for the 2023 Spring Break Intensive sessions of its workforce development programs, Spark Studios and MADLab. Students ages 14-19 who live in Dutchess County are welcome to apply. These sessions will address important themes that are relevant to young people’s lives and teach valuable transferrable skills. Students who successfully complete all 25 hours of a workforce intensive will earn a $100 stipend.
MADLab Intensive: Becoming a Professional Artist April 3rd- 7th, 12pm-5pm each day 45 Pershing Avenue, Poughkeepsie Learn how to become a working, exhibiting artist! You will learn how to write an artist statement, prepare your work for sale, navigate making websites and social media brands for your art, and how to starting making money as an artist.
Spark Studios Intensive: Public Art Projection April 3rd-7th, 12pm-5pm each day 489 Main Street, Poughkeepsie (Trolley Barn Gallery) Talk back to media messages! In this intensive, you will work alongside Reel Exposure featured artist William Koenig-Vinicombe to understand media literacy and representation. Decode the ways films have shaped you, then learn to remix and re-edit video and media pieces! Finished videos will be featured in a public projection at Reel Exposure this May!
In December, The Art Effect’s MADLab students helped facilitate an incredible Arts for Healing workshop with residents of the Vassar-Warner Home. The workshop involved two sessions: “Abstract Painting” and “Intergenerational Illustration”. In the first session, residents experimented with abstract painting techniques; in the second, The Art Effect’s Media, Art, Design Lab (MADLab) students listened to stories of residents’ favorite holiday memories, then went on to illustrates these memories into a picture book holiday gift for each resident to keep (check out the book below)!
Expressing themselves through the soothing power of painting, the residents translated powerful emotions into a visual medium. Unexpected choices were an integral parts of this process; mistakes were transformed into poignant works of art.
When the workshop finished, 100% of participants reported a“strengthened sense of self” and 75% of participants said their stress level decreased and sense of optimism increased.
MADLab students spoke one on one with residents during the “Intergenerational Illustration” workshop. Each resident shared a favorite holiday memory and the students used the skills they’d cultivated in the MADLab program to bring this memory to life with unique illustrations.
Classic winter experiences like building snowmen or gathereing with family for a special meal were included, as well as distinctive memories like the first snowfall on a farm or a special holiday trip on a train. Each story was rendered in a student’s unique style, then compiled in a book which was gifted to residents. The book can be viewed online.
Whether the Vassar-Warner Home residents created their own paintings or shared their stories with MADLab students to generate collaborative works of art, The Art Effect’s Art for Healing workshop is now yet another holiday memory to be cherished! Learn more about The Art Effect’s Arts for Healing program here.
