Senior Project: Expressing Ourselves, to be Held

POUGHKEEPSIE – Mill Street Loft will be hosting an opening reception on Friday, December 16th from 4:00 – 7:00pm for the Senior Project: Expressing Ourselves exhibit at Gallery 45, located at 45 Pershing Avenue in Poughkeepsie. This exhibition is the culminating event showcasing the personal drawing, painting and photographic work created by six high school seniors in the Art Institute over the course of twelve intense weeks.

Artist and educator Rick Price will be the moderator for a panel discussion with the Senior Project students. Rick will explore why they chose to take on such a difficult task, what their future goals are, and their personal stories about the process.

Senior Project is the most rigorous course offered in the portfolio development set of courses at The Art Institute of Mill Street Loft. Students are selected to participate in the Senior Project during a rigorous interview process held in September. Students must present a portfolio of current work, answer interview questions, and present their desired senior thesis theme to the Director of the Art Institute.

Once students are selected for Senior Project, they and their parents sign an agreement that outlines the requirements, rigorous expectations, timeline, and benefits of the course.

Students then embark on a twelve-week art intensive. Each week the students are required to invest 30 hours of work into a single piece of art. The work is completely their own, following the theme they chose to explore.

Come celebrate the achievements and incredible work of Rachel Brainerd (Home Schooled), Sasha Harris, Eloisa Morales, James Tedesco (Arlington High School), Emilia Ricciardi (Port Jervis Senior High School), and Charlotte Howard (Rhinebeck High School).

The Art Institute of Mill Street Loft is a pre-college portfolio program for teenagers (ages 14-19) interested in pursuing college degrees in the arts and pursuing careers in the visual arts. Since 2000, our graduates have been offered over $40 million in merit-based scholarships to the nation’s leading colleges, universities, and art schools. Motivated teens develop their ideas and build skills in the visual and media arts. Students learn how to strengthen their portfolios and explore advanced art techniques, presentation, critique, skills development, composition, emotionalism and advanced concept.

Gallery hours for the duration of the exhibition are Mondays – Fridays, 10:00am – 5:00pm.

For more information about this exhibit or additional images, please contact us at 845-471-7477 or visit www.millstreetloft.org.

Mill Street Loft is a not-for-profit, community-based, multi-arts educational center, dedicated to bringing a wide range of creative, educational, and culturally-enriching programs to diverse audiences throughout the Hudson Valley. Mill Street Loft is committed to supporting personal growth, fostering self-expression, and enhancing human services through the arts to make a difference in the life of our multi-cultural community.