WSVN — Some creative high school students are getting a rare opportunity this summer. They are learning what it’s like to be a professional artist working in a local gallery.
Director of the Locust Art Builders Program, Monica Lopez de Victoria: “Let’s talk about this piece in the middle right here.”
These high school students are hammering, cutting and creating something they never have before.
Student: “You have to make it tall so it can stand up.”
Twenty five were chosen to come together at Locust Projects in the Miami Design District to find out first-hand what it’s like to be a professional artist.
Monica Lopez de Victoria: “To understand what it’s really like to have a professional exhibition at the highest quality level that any other artist would be working.”
The program is called the “Locust Art Builders.” It gives local students the chance to meet and collaborate with working artists in a real gallery.
Monica Lopez de Victoria: “Start to have conversations with each other about their concept, find out similarities and then we start building things together.”
And build they do.
Student Beth Kimsey: “Do we have longer screws?”
Sixteen-year-old Beth Kimsey is using an interesting concoction in a creative way.
Beth Kimsey: “This really cool material that we made ourselves. We’ve been grating soap by hand and mixing it up by hand.”
They’re using the soapy mixture as part of their sculpture.
Beth Kimsey: “A lot of us were interested in things that the viewer can interact with and feel rather than just look at.”
The students all had to agree on a theme for their exhibition, not an easy lesson to learn at a young age.
Student David Baptiste: “We all have our own visions, our own egos and it took a while to come together for us to agree on something.”
They decided on “Digital Natives” since this generation is all about social media.
David Baptiste: “We love our Snapchats, we love our Instagram pictures, we love our filters, we love our tagging and hash tagging.”
The teens learn to work on a budget on deadline and most importantly, as a team.
Monica Lopez de Victoria: “How each person’s talents can come together to make the bigger picture or idea come together.”
And in the end, it did come together. The Students unveiled their hard work and agree it has been an invaluable experience.
Beth Kimsey: “I’m super excited to be here. I can’t wait to brag about it.”
The exhibition will be on display to the public through August.
Students can apply for next summer’s program online.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Locust Projects