Around the Corner—Participating School Steinmetz Academic Centre High School

16 Mar Around the Corner—Participating School Steinmetz Academic Centre High School

Teens “just around the corner” from their adult lives are being given an opportunity to exhibit their work in one of Chicago’s most respected art galleries, Hairpin Arts Center, 2810 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago. This year’s theme: Dreams for the Future. Artist reception is 1:00-4:00 p.m. Saturday, May 14. The art will remain on display Sunday May 15 1:00-4:00 p.m. Free and open to the public.

Teen visual artists are from Luther North College Prep, Lydia Urban Academy, Steinmetz Academic Centre High School, and Aspira Early College Prep. Teen musicians performing at the reception are from Upbeat Music and Arts, a non-profit organization offering music and art classes as well as summer camp for young people. Teen event volunteers are from buildOn, an after-school program at Schurz High School; they will earn community service points for their participation.

Three flights of stairs and into a classroom. The scent of what I take to be paints and turpentine. A low buzz of voices. Teen artists at Steinmetz Academic Centre High School are working to visualize their dreams for the future.

By intent, the theme is broad, allowing artists to interpret it various ways. Some of these artists envision a future in which technology is prominent. Others take a more personal approach, seeing college or their dreams happening in reality.

They are enthusiastic and have a number of ideas for the show. A couple of students are working on individual pieces. Others are working in collaboration. There will be some small-size collaborations and one very large piece, a painting with background and shading and characters added. The large piece will probably have some of everyone’s work.

While I was watching, one teen handed off a small abstract painting to another, who started painting on a corner of the piece using a color not on the original color palette—I’m curious to see what becomes of it.

Instructors include Keith Pollok, Juan Carlos Frias, and Brandon Pozos, a former Steinmetz student, who wants to help teens the way he was helped. The Steinmetz ASM art program includes a large number of teens, but not all will be participating in Around the Corner; nine who are particularly interested are working on pieces for the exhibit.