ARTLooks: A Day in the Life of an Artist 2006-2007 Activities With the continued support of the Jacob and Gwendolyn LawrenceTrust, the Studio Museum’s innovative program for teens, ArtLooks: A Day in the Life of An Artist completed a successful year with high participation rates and the introduction of a new program component, Hands On, which offers more intensive study in specific media. Hands On: Video. 2005-2006 Artist-in-Residence Clifford Owen conducted two separate two-day, intensive weekend workshops for teens interested in learning the basics of using a video camera, video art and techniques. More than 100 youth took part in the workshops, a strong response rate for a weekend program. Participants received a DVD of their videos produced during the program. The sessions were held on January 21-22 and January 28 -29 2006. Based on the program’s initial success, a second session of Hands On: Video was offered on July 25-27, 2006. Art Looks: A Day in the Life of An Artist. Following a guided tour of the Museum’s exhibition, Frequency! which presented the work of 35 emerging contemporary artists of African descent from across the country, participating artists Roberto Visani and Cliford Owens held a Portfolio Review Day on January 21, 2006. Held onsite at the Studio Museum’s Artists-in-Resdence studios, the session afforded participants an opportunity to discuss and observe aspects of life as a working artist, ask questions about their creative practices, and receive feedback on their own work. ArtLooks: Brooklyn Bound! On June 10, ArtLooks participants joined SMH teaching artists for a tour of Brooklyn-based artists’ studios. They also had the opportunity to sign-up for special one-on-one portfolio review with featured artists. Hands On: Construction. Held on August 15-17, this two-day workshop focused on three-dimensional art, including sculpture and construction Programs planned for early 2007 include: Queens Bound! a visit to the Queens Museum of Art’s biennial survey of Queens-based artists, Everything All At Once (January 13, 2007), hosted by one of the participating artists; a portfolio review with SMH 2007-2007 Artists-in-Residence on February 10; and Hands On: Comics, a comic history and drawing workshop with a contemporary comic artist inspired by the Museum’s current exhibition, Africa Comics. This six-session workshop will be offered March 6-8 and 13-15, 2007. The 2004-2006 Jacob and Gwendolyn Lawrence Gift to The Studio Museum in Harlem Jacob and Gwen Lawrence have contributed resources to help support The Studio Museum in Harlem's ArtLOOKS program for a period of three years. ArtLOOKS offers high school students a safe space to express themselves creatively through free programs that take place outside of the school environment, taking aspiring artists from Harlem schools and other underserved areas in New York City behind the scenes of artmaking and into the studios of contemporary artists for wide-ranging discussion and portfolio reviews. Each daylong session ends with group discussion, refreshments, and dancing. Four sessions are currently held a year for between 10 and 20 students each. Participating artists include the Museum's three artists-in-residence, who maintain onsite studios from October to September each year. Students may also meet with more established artists who have their own studios in Harlem, or at local galleries for sessions with the artists on view. Alternatively, SMH exhibiting artists may facilitate sessions, as in the case of last winter's Harlemworld exhibition, which provided an opportunity for students to met with emerging architects. In addition to portfolio reviews, students engage in broad-based discussion about art, culture, and history. No adults attend these sessions, providing an open forum for youth to freely question artists about their personal approach to art making and working methods. These often lead to important dialogue about larger issues, including notions of race and perception in art and the artists' role in society, helping teens to develop vital analytical and critical thinking skills. Students have the opportunity to meet with representatives from various art schools in the tri-state area, who conduct one-on-one assessments of student portfolios and offer advice about applying to art school. Students' progress is assessed at the end of each session by peers, artists, and Museum staff. "Feedback" circles teach students how to give constructive feedback and to articulate their ideas and concerns more effectively, both verbally and in their artwork.