Art 101: Program teaches kids the practical side while they explore their creative sides

Urban ArtWORKS, a neighborhood arts education and training program for people ages 14 to 21, announced the unveiling of their project that tells stories of Boise´s historic past.

It´s not often you find a group of teenagers willing to get up at the crack of dawn for a voluntary assignment.

Emily Simnitt
The Idaho Statesman

http://www.idahostatesman.com/News/story.asp?ID=64458

But hands flew in the air when the adults heading up Urban ArtWORKS asked for volunteers to talk about the program´s latest art project on an early radio program this morning.

This, followed by a very adult discussion of the difficulties of raising money to fund art projects and the disappointment that comes when your hard work gets edited into something completely different.

Welcome to the real world, and to Urban ArtWORKS, a program that pairs 14- to 21-year-old artists with professional ones to create art for the community and teach the young adults about the business side of getting creative.

“There are some things you sign up for, and you feel like you´re being babysat,” said Greta Rybus, 17, who took pictures for one of several collages that will be unveiled today at Incredible Edibles on Fort Street. “But we were given assignments and then told to go do it.”

About 16 young artists were divided into two teams for a project designed to depict the past, present and future of the North End neighborhood.

Like Rybus, those on the collage team were paired with professional photojournalist Diane Ronayne. They went out into the neighborhood in groups of three to interview neighbors and shoot pictures.

“We wanted to know about the vibe people get from living in the North End,” said Maggie Santoro, 18, who worked on the same team as Rybus. “People had stories about how the neighborhood is different, how the karma is different and the neighborhood a little more liberal.”

In particular, Santoro and Rybus interviewed a homeowner in the North End and took pictures of the outside of her house and of items on the inside.

“I was kind of hesitant about being a photojournalist,” Rybus said. “Now I´m more open to it.”

Other artists were assigned to the leadership team. This group tackled the business of producing art, including raising money to help pay for it.

“It prepares you for the business end of jobs,” said Mandi Dunn, 19, who was on the leadership team. “We asked for money and for food and looked for a place to have the opening. We took whatever we could get.”

Those on the leadership team will get their turn at producing art with the next phase of the project. They´ll be working with local graphic artist and muralist Ward Hooper to design and paint a 1,600-square-foot mural at the corner of 9th and Fort street at the Boise Co-Op.

Artists will use the collages as inspiration for the mural.

Susan Whitlach, Urban ArtWORKS project coordinator, said she´s seen the young artists blossom during the project.

“I´ve seen it do a lot of things,” Whitlach said. “I´ve seen the youth become more involved in the area. I´ve seen them learn to work as a team. It´s also been neat to see how the artists have learned by working with the kids.”

Ronayne said she was pleasantly surprised at the kids´ creativity and commitment.

“It´s been fun working with them,” Ronayne said. “They´ve got great ideas.”

The next step? Bringing the program into other neighborhoods.

“Our focus and goal is to bring youth and the community together through art,” Whitlach said.

“Depending on funding, we´re looking at doing projects throughout the city.”

To offer story ideas or comments, contact Emily Simnitt
[email protected] or 377-6427