Student Artists: Sumura Bell, Zawadi Bernard, Erie Brewster, Tanesha Bryan, Kwanecia Burke, Clinton Caldwell, Delana Campbell, Andrea Castro, Binghua Cen, Angelle Cuevas, Edwin Gao, Fabio Gomez, Tasha Lineau, Niko Lowery, Khalil Lunsford, Demie Morris, Rosa Nunez, Cesar Quesada, Amy Zhao

Artist Mentors: Michael Paul Britto, Maia Cruz Palileo, Natalia Nakazawa, Sage & Coombe Architects (Andrew Kao, Charlotte Page, Cory Schneider), Emilie Shapiro, Phillip Shung, Rosemary Taylor 


The exhibition presents the work of students who participated in the 2013-2014 session of Art Ready, Smack Mellon’s arts mentorship program for high school students interested in pursuing a career in the visual arts. Working with professional painters, architects, installation artists, jewelry designers, graphic designers, video artists, and photographers, the student artists created an impressive range of work in a variety of media. This includes: collaborative video documentaries; expressive paintings and drawings ranging from self-portraiture to fantasy; digitally-manipulated portraits, papier-mache and clay figurines; original clothing and jewelry lines; and a collaborative mosaic mural. One group received guidance from professional architects on scale drawings and models of invented spaces; and another worked with graphic designers on their own magazine about the “Notorious” borough of Brooklyn.  Accompanying sketches and written commentary will document the young artists’ work process.

Smack Mellon’s Education Programs are supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council, New York City Council Member Stephen Levin, and with support from Joan Mitchell Foundation, David & Minnie Berk Foundation, Exploring The Arts, and Smack Mellon’s Members.  

We would like to thank The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Lambent Foundation Fund of Tides Foundation, the Walentas family and Two Trees Management, Art Dealers Association of America Relief Fund, Dumbo Improvement District, Art F City, Richard Prince Studio, Mixed Greens Gallery, Gilbert MacKay Foundation, Athena Foundation, Foundation for Contemporary Arts, New York Council for the Humanities, Stephen Sollins, Niloo and Joe Steele, Creative Time Inc., Lily Auchincloss Foundation, Inc., Marie & John Zimmermann Fund, Inc., Allison and Tom Franco, St. Joseph High School, and all of the individuals who donated and volunteered to help us clean up and rebuild after Hurricane Sandy.   

Space for Smack Mellon’s programs is generously provided by the Walentas Family and Two Trees Management

In-kind donations for Smack Mellon’s education programs are provided by Artist and Craftsman, Trader Joe’s, Peas and Pickles, Dumbo Kitchen, and by Materials for the Arts, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs/NYC Department of Sanitation/NYC Department of Education.