Visions Teen Program		Print This Page Email This Page

SMoCA's Visions program, now in its twelfth year, brings together ca. 40 high-school art students from diverse Phoenix metropolitan-area high schools for a year-long series of activities designed to cultivate artistic skills, collaboration and civic engagement. The program was founded in 1999 and is based on a strong community partnership between the Museum and participating schools, which represent economically, ethnically and culturally diverse communities.

Students are chosen for participation by their visual-art teachers at the start of the school year. During the course of the year, participating students, teachers and professional guest artists and speakers work side-by-side in workshops, lectures and discussions. Students have the rare opportunity to interact with prominent visiting artists from around the world. Visions increases students' understanding of modern and contemporary art, architecture and design and fosters cultural diversity, teamwork and interpersonal communication.

above image: group photo of 2008-09 students at the fall retreat

At the start of the year, the students participate in a three-day retreat that includes team-building exercises, diversity training and artist-led workshops. The retreat sets the tone for the coming year and gives the teens the confidence they need to explore and freely share their ideas. Throughout the year, in various programs and workshops, they learn new techniques, acquire an understanding of the visual arts in relation to history and culture, learn how to recognize the merits of others' work and develop an understanding of the function of art in society. They collaborate on projects with community-service organizations such as Free Arts Arizona (for younger children, many of whom are victims of abuse). The end result of Visions is an exhibition in SMoCA's young@art gallery of the students' work that opens over the summer. In addition to experiencing close contact with professional artists, students develop special friendships with students from various ethnic and cultural backgrounds. A primary goal of the program is to break down stereotypes and create an environment where respect, communication and a healthy exchange of ideas are the norm.

In 2008-09, participating students from Central, Coronado, McClintock, Desert Mountain and Shadow Mountain high schools worked towards the exhibition theme of Visions: Juxtapositions . This artistic strategy of the side by side comparison of objects or concepts proved to be a compelling way for the teens to present their ideas in visual art form. Students each created art about something meaningful to him or her. Themes as a group ranged from insider observations of negative aspects of teen culture to fears of modern industry taking over the natural environment.

Visions students delved into ongoing discussions and hands-on workshops to guide their artmaking. Each month, they met with a different artist. They visited studios, learned new techniques and debated ideas in the Museum's galleries. The success of Visions is based on such intimate access, cumulative expertise, communal focus and one-on-one dialogue.

As an example, architect Will Bruder spoke with sculpture students about urban planning. Students discussed what attributes make the best cities, then created a design to revitalize Scottsdale. Working over an aerial photograph of Scottsdale Road, they placed color-coded paper plans for new businesses, residences and public transportation.

above: Architect Will Bruder shares ideas about city planning with Visions students.

In conjunction with the photography exhibition, Callahan, Siskind, Sommer (February-August 2009), Visions photography students met with local fine art photographer Michael Lundgren. After demonstrating how to use a large format view camera, he guided each student to take his/her own photograph.

above: Photographer Michael Lundgren shows a student how to use a large format view camera.

For the culminating exhibition, each student chose to focus on a topic of personal import or to examine an important issue in a very unique way. As you explore the artwork and read the artists' statements, we hope you will stop to see the world anew through the eyes of these bright, young artists.

The teachers who participated in Visions in 2008-09 are Judy Mariahazy, Central High School, and Dyan Cavalli, Coronado High School (photography); Stacy Marko, McClintock High School, and Kelli DeCarlo, Desert Mountain High School (painting); and Kathy Anderson, Desert Mountain High School, and Rami Steinruck, Shadow Mountain High School.

The artists who worked with Visions 2008-09 students are Kevin Berry, Jeremy Briddell, Will Bruder, Cyndi Coon, Fausto Fernandez, Myrna Harrison, Mayme Kratz, Carolyn Lavender, William Lesch, Michael Lundgren, Christy Puetz, Ken Rosenthal, Kate Timmerman, and Christian Widmer.

above: 2008-2009 Painting students show results of a workshop led by artist Fausto Fernandez.

Photographs of the 2008-2009 Visions students and their work can be found here.

Visions is organized by the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. Sponsored by Scottsdale Insurance/Nationwide Foundation. The young@art gallery is generously sponsored by the Scottsdale Charros. Additional funding from Wells Fargo.

2008-09 Visions Students

2007-08 Visions Students

2006-07 Visions Students

2005-06 Visions Students

2004-05 Visions Students

2003-04 Visions Students

2002-03 Visions Students