Events

High school teens get first taste of art student life

Nine local high school students learned first-hand what it's like to be a college art student at University of Redlands.

The Summer Art Program invited students to practice their craft with University professors for a week. Students worked all day every week day until  Friday, July 15, when an art show in the Anne Peppers Center capped off the program.

"I loved it," says 18-year-old Maravilla Guiles about the program. She says the professors allowed the students to explore their craft more freely than high school teachers allow. "It gives us the chance to do what real artists do."

"They gave us a lot of freedom to do what we want," says Anastasiya Fomenko, a 17-year-old Redlands High School student.

The professors encouraged self-expression and creativity, but they gave guidance too, says 17-year-old Yucaipa High School student Abby Newhouse. "I got more feedback, a lot of critiques and I learned a lot," she says.

The program began 5 years ago as an outreach effort aimed at young artists. "Maybe we could reach some students who haven't considered college," says Professor Penny McElroy.

High school students from all around the Redlands area were invited. The students who enrolled worked all day every day from Monday to Friday leading up to the art show, McElroy says. "It was a lot of work but an awful lot of fun."