In a small Midtown gallery space, an assortment of sketches and paintings by New York City high school students captures a range of early explorations of paper-based art. On one wall, an array of charcoal and graphite figure drawings depict one or two nameless models; on the opposite, vibrant landscapes and contemplative self-portraits are rendered with oil pastels and acrylic paint.
The works are part of Artists Rising 2025: Visions from the Teen Studio, a show bringing together 47 student artists from public high schools across New York City. Up through April 18, the exhibition is the result of the Studio Intensives, a series of artist-taught Saturday workshops for 10th- through 12th-grade students coordinated by the Studio Institute, established in 2016.
The Studio Institute is a branch of the education nonprofit Studio in a School, founded almost five decades ago by arts patron and social justice advocate Agnes Gund to support comprehensive arts instruction in New York City public schools after dramatic budget cuts at the time practically scrapped these education programs.
“I have always believed that every student has a fundamental right to quality art education,” Gund told Hyperallergic in a statement.
Led by artist instructors and teen mentor staff, the Studio Institute’s out-of-school intensive workshops are divided into two classes that focus on painting and portfolio development to help prepare high school students interested in pursuing art degrees in college.
“What’s interesting about the Studio Institute is that it gets a range of kids who want another level of art education: Some of them are from schools that have strong art programs, and some of them are from schools that have very basic programs, but they all gel together as a cohort that likes art,” the organization’s president Tom Cahill told Hyperallergic.
For the most recent workshops that took place in the fall, nearly half of the participants hailed from Manhattan’s High School of Art and Design, but some also came from Brooklyn High School of the Arts, Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, Francis Lewis High School, High School of Fashion Industries, and a variety of other technical schools. The painting workshop focuses on advanced painting techniques, such as layering paints, color mixing, and color theory, as exemplified in works like 10th-grade student Ty Golany’s stoic self-portrait, awash with shadows and hues of red, yellow, and green, and a painting by Patricio German that depicts a figure with their face buried in their hands against a purple-gray background.
On the other side of the gallery, black-and-white studies of figures resting in chairs, sitting on the ground, and quietly thinking are displayed across two rows. Below, a green-papered charcoal study of two seated models by 11th grader Collin Hammond stands out among the group of pieces. All were made during a workshop meant to help students develop their portfolios by introducing new materials like charcoal and exploring movement and visual texture.
Second-year School of Visual Arts (SVA) student Merry Morel, who is an assistant instructor and taught the workshop’s portfolio development cohort last fall, told Hyperallergic that she enjoys teaching and supporting students as they navigate the college application process, having gone through the same experience herself not that long ago when she transferred out of LaGuardia Community College.
“I personally didn’t have access to this when I was applying to schools,” Morel explained. In the absence of support from a college advisor, she added, most of the research into possible art schools fell on her.
Nine months ago, she came across the Studio Institute while looking for a summer internship. She said working as an instructor has given her the ability to help guide the next crop of college students through what can be a convoluted application process, consisting of securing recommendation letters, compiling portfolios, and researching scholarship opportunities.
Morel’s experience of independently navigating the art school application process reflects a widespread reality for many New York City students, Cahill said.
“We eliminate financial barriers by making our portfolio programs no cost to participants who need this support,” Cahill noted. New York City high school seniors who have participated in two or more of the Studio Institute’s out-of-school programs are also eligible to apply for the organization’s college scholarships.
In addition to the work on view for Artists Rising 2025, visitors can see a dozen colorful handmade clay masks created by third-graders in the Bronx. Made over a series of six sessions, the works explore global cultural traditions and a range of facial expressions, from happy-go-lucky smiles to fearful looks of surprise.
Gund told Hyperallergic that the exhibition is “a joyful reminder of why Studio in a School exists.”
“Art is more than teaching technique — it builds confidence, encourages critical thinking, and allows students to find their unique voice,” Gund said.
