This exhibition presents the artwork of students who participated in the 2024-2025 session of Art Ready, Smack Mellon’s arts mentorship program for NYC public high school students interested in pursuing a career in visual arts. This year, students worked with professional artists who specialize in graphic design, painting, sculpture, textile and video. The exhibition showcases an impressive range of media such as fabric collage tapestries, figurative paintings and drawings, videos, plaster sculptures, and garments, among others.
Art Ready engages young people in a way no other arts education program does—by pairing students directly with successful working artists. Mentors provide professional and creative guidance as the students make decisions about their futures in the arts. They tutor the students in their creative process, introduce them to new ways of working, and encourage critical reflection. Museum admission, mentor time, snacks, and subsidized transportation are all provided to students free of charge.
Coming from 10 high schools, this year’s Art Ready students include: MJ Abazi, Esul Baek, Yessenia Bonilla, Jameson Butler, Jessica Castelan, Nina Fields, Thomas Flores-Ramírez, Ashlee Ghosh, Gabrielle Gonzalez, Louisa Haimo, Eric Huang, Laadan Jarrett, Leanna Lai, Diana Martinez-Lozada, Allison Mealy, Esmeralda Mendez, Joshua Muentes, Sophia Nikishova, Olivia Rivera, and Marcos Rosales.
This year’s professional Artist Mentors included: Juan José Cielo, Anastasia Corrine, Florencia Escudero, Angélica Maria Millán Lozano, Craig Anthony Miller (CAM), and Phillip Shung. Meet the 2024-25 Art Ready Mentors.
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 Lincoln Restler, and with support from Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation, Select Equity Group Foundation, an Anonymous Donor, and Smack Mellon’s Members.
Smack Mellon’s programs are also made possible with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, the National Endowment for the Arts, and with generous support from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, The Edward and Sally Van Lier Fund of The New York Community Trust, Jerome Foundation, Jacques and Natasha Gelman Foundation, Lily Auchincloss Foundation, Wolf Kahn Foundation, Robert Lehman Foundation, Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation Inc., The Roy and Niuta Titus Foundation, and Smack Mellon’s Members.
Space for Smack Mellon’s programs is generously provided by the Walentas Family and Two Trees Management.
In-kind donations and services are provided by Materials for the Arts, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs/NYC Department of Sanitation/NYC Department of Education, Sage and Coombe Architects, Royal Talens Foundation, Blick Art Materials, Artist & Craftsman Supply, Wegmans, Costco, and Trader Joe’s.
