|
RISD PROJECT OPEN DOOR
spring 2024
|
Artwork above by Naylea Hernandez | |
RISD Project Open Door has just wrapped up a wonderful spring semester and is celebrating the end of the 2023 - 2024 academic year! We are excited about our schedule of summer programming and are already planning and recruiting ahead for next year. In this spring newsletter, we have a lot of exciting updates to share from a busy semester of creative programming. Thank you to our inspiring community of teens, teaching artists, and partners for being part of POD this year!
Read more below about what POD has been up to in our spring newsletter!
| |
ANNUAL
END OF YEAR EXHIBITION
We had a wonderful time recently at our End of Year Exhibition, an annual event that showcases artwork created in the Saturday Portfolio program. It fills us with joy to have so many POD teens, along with their friends and families, as well as alumni, teaching artists, community members, and RISD folks all together in the POD studio for this special event.
See more images from this incredible night in our most recent Instagram post!
| | |
Above: Teaching Artist Dorian Epps (left) works alongside POD senior Adrian V. (right) | |
SATURDAY PORTFOLIO PROGRAM
| |
Since early October, 63 teens from 15 different public high schools and public charter schools across Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls, and Woonsocket have been coming to the RISD campus every Saturday morning to participate in POD's intensive Saturday Portfolio Program.
After focusing on foundational assignments and technical skills during the fall and winter semesters, this spring, our Saturday Portfolio teens chose what class to participate in based on their interests. Read more about our exciting spring class offerings below and see more pictures in our recent Instagram post!
100% of Senior Portfolio (12th grade) students will be graduating from high school this spring and 94% plan on pursuing higher education in the fall. Many of them plan on pursuing art + design in some capacity. Seniors were accepted into a wide variety of impressive higher education institutions and have enrolled at the following institutions in the fall:
Bay Path University
College of the Holy Cross
Community College of Rhode Island (3)
Providence College
Rhode Island College (2)
Rhode Island School of Design (4)
University of Rhode Island (3)
We are thrilled to share that the four POD teens headed to RISD next fall will each receive the POD ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP, which covers full tuition and mandatory fees for all four years of RISD undergraduate studies!
|  | Above: Our cohort (almost everyone) of 23/24 Senior Portfolio Students! | | | |
Saturday Portfolio Spring Classes | |
 | |
Above: Vaeh works on the bench hammering metals
JEWELRY + METALS
Teaching Artist: steven KP
TA: Avalon Palmer
In our second semester-long collaboration with RISD's Jewelry + Metals Department, teens explored the fundamental techniques of metal smithing and jewelry to express themselves. Working with fire, saws (and a lot of broken blades!), and careful attention to detail, they explored some of the oldest processes related to creating in this material. Students first explored design parameters and sawing, filing, and drilling as they created a customized miniature rocking chair - a seat of their own for the table - out of flat sheet metal. They then learned how to size, anneal, shape, and solder a pair of customized rings with ornaments and developed an understanding of the torch and how to safely and effectively work in the broader metals and jewelry studio. Lastly, with their culmination of skills, they constructed hollow keep-sake boxes fit for their rings and oxidized through specific chemical reactions.
Thank you to the J+M department for another amazing collaboration!
| |
|
above: Avari and Elmer practice studio photography
ANOTHER I/EYE
PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY AND IMAGINATION
Teaching Artist: Vic Xu
TA: Prophet Raines
In this class, teens explored how photography can be a tool for looking more deeply at the world, a way of creating and witnessing relationships, and an art of shaping how we remember moments, places, and ultimately, histories. Teens visited Special Collections at the Providence Public Library to see how photos can document histories within both institutional and personal archives. Teens also took photo walks, held studio sessions to play with light, color, and movement to make portraits of each other, and used Photoshop and cyanotype processes to edit and print photos into the physical form.
A huge thank you to the RISD Photography Department and RISD Continuing Education for loaning POD cameras and equipment for teens to use during this program.
| |
|
above: Zine created by POD teen Kyle
CREATING COMICS
Teaching Artist: Beatrix Urkowitz
TAs: Kara Lee, Anja Drakulovic
In Creating Comics, students improvised entire stories on sticky notes, designed and printed original zines, gave voice to dozens of original characters, and even learned cartoon drawing fundamentals through the lens of Among Us!
| |
|
above: detail of up-cycled denim pants by POD teen Radames
JACK OF ALL TRADES
Teaching Artist: Dorian Epps
TAs: Vetty Michette, Naylea Hernandez
Teens in this fashion-focused class learned the amount of creative agency they can have with their work. Teens learned how to create patterns and apparel from up-cycled clothing and scrap fabrics, and used various methods to gain an understanding of the different foundational skills needed to build a successful product and collection. Through collaborative efforts and projects, Teens practiced all sides of the design field, from package design to sewing complete pieces.
| |
We are currently accepting applications on a rolling basis for the Saturday Portfolio Program for the 2024/2025 academic year.
If you know any creative and driven teens who attend a public high school in Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls, or Woonsocket, please reach out to pod@risd.edu for an application, eligibility requirements, and more information on how to apply!
Please check out + share the link below:
|
| |
|
Pop-Up Workshops
During winter and spring semesters, POD hosted four pop-up after-school workshops
led by current RISD graduate and undergraduate students!
| |
|
COLLABORATIVE QUILTING
In this program held for students from the Met High School during the school day, TLAD MA Aja Delgado (MA '24) led teens to experiment with various ways to work with textiles and worked towards creating a collaborative quilt.
| |  |
|
FUTURE OF FASHION
TLAD graduate student Emily Bennison (MA '24) led a 6 week fashion course over winter where teens learned the basics of sewing and fashion design and created their own garments. See more of their amazing creations in this post.
| | |
|
CREATIVE WRITING
Graduating RISD senior Graciela Batista (IL'24) ran a Creative Writing workshop this spring! Each session began with a daily journaling prompt and the group worked towards creating a collaborative zine. Graciela has been a POD TA in the past, and we're so grateful for all her contributions to POD over the years!
| | |
|
INTRO TO ACYRLIC PAINTING
RISD senior Angelina Yoon (PT '24) taught a 5-week after-school painting program to POD teens. They learned the foundations of color theory and painting with acrylic and took a tour of RISD Painting department studios! See all teens' amazing final painting projects in this instagram post.
| | |
|
Above: Aja and her group of Met students! | |
This spring, POD ran four after-school programs led by graduate student Teaching Artists from the Department of Teaching + Learning in Art + Design (TLAD).
POD + Schools programs are an informal opportunity for teens from any grade and experience level to learn new ways of creating and thinking about art and design they may not experience during the school day. This academic year, POD served 72 students through its after-school programming.
Meital Smith (MAT '24) taught knitting techniques to a group after school at Central Falls High School. Bel Weiss (MA '24) led a photography-focused course at Hope High School. Aja Delgado (MA '24) ran another section of her collaborative quilting curriculum with teens at Shea High School. In "FUNdamentals of Illustration" held at the POD studio, teens from any eligible high school learned about foundational illustration skills and concepts with Sylvia Rodriguez (MA '24).
A big thank you and congratulations to our amazing POD teaching artists from the TLAD department who have just graduated from RISD!
| | | |
Above: a collaborative light drawing created by teens during our February program with Onward We Learn | |
This year POD collaborated with long-time partner Onward We Learn to run week-long programs during R.I.D.E public school vacation weeks. In February, artist and educator, Scott Lapham led a photography course, and, over April vacation week, Dorian Epps taught teens the basics of fashion/apparel design and building a brand.
Through POD + Partner programs we are able to welcome new teens into the POD space and show current teens unique opportunities and creative spaces that exist in our community and are available to them.
In collaboration with TLAD, Project Thrive, and the Tomaquag Museum, this spring POD ran a special 4-session workshop series engaging with the living histories, arts, and cultural practices of the Indigenous peoples of Southern New England. The series was co-sponsored by RISD Social Equity & Inclusion and included on-site experiences with public art, a guided tour of the Tomaquag Museum, and two studio sessions with artist Silvermoon LaRose, during which students designed and developed a collaborative riso printed portfolio reflecting on their insights and experiences.
Thank you to all our partners, especially TLAD's Dr. Courtnie Wolfgang and Dr. Caitlin Black, and Silvermoon LaRose, for making this program possible for POD teens. See more images from this workshop below!
|  | Above: A couple of Risograph prints that teens created in the workshop. (Alex R. left, Tiahna D. Right) | Above: Participants visit and have a conversation around the "Still Here" mural with Dr. Caitlin Black | Above: Vetty, a POD alumni and Project Thriver, exploring the Tomaquag Museum exhibit | | | |
|
SABELY F.
Currently a junior at The Met High School in Providence, Sabely was recently featured by the Steel Yard as one of their ceramics interns!
Sabely has been a POD participant for over two years and has created some amazing work. She is also interested in criminology and keeps very busy running her own business- Nails by Sabely!
This summer, Sabely will study textiles at RISD Pre-College! Sabely and 10 other POD teens each received a full scholarship plus a materials stipend, to attend this intensive program. Check out the post from the The Yard here.
(Sabely pictured right with her ceramics at the Steel Yard, photo credit: Steel Yard)
| | |
|
Congrats to POD Teen Elmer P., currently a sophomore at Hope High School, whose incredible artwork (pictured above) was chosen to be displayed at the National Arts Education Association (NAEA) annual conference in Minneapolis this year!
Another one of Elmer's works (pictured below) received honorable mention for U.S. Senator Jack Reed's 2024 High School Art Competition. Elmer will also be joining Sabely (featured above) and 10 other POD teens this summer at RISD Pre-College!
| | |
POD ALUMNI SPOTLIGHTS + NEWS | | |
|
NAYLEA HERNANDEZ
Naylea has been a member of POD since she was was a participant for two years during high school. While studying painting at RISD, she was a Teaching Assistant with POD for three years, and is also currently a member of our POD advisory committee. This year, she also served as the college mentor for our Senior Portfolio students, giving them valuable advice and guidance on their portfolios and how to pursue their creative interests.
Naylea will be graduating from RISD this spring, and we are so proud of her and all her accomplishments and are so grateful for her work with POD. Her artwork is incredible- see examples below! We can't wait to see what she does next!
Check out more amazing work on: Naylea's Website
| | |
|
Temilola Matanmi graduated from RISD! Temi joined POD as a sophomore in high school, and has been a POD teaching assistant and studio assistant for three years while studying animation. Temi also serves as a member of the POD advisory committee, and this year designed and implemented a short animation course for POD teens and hopes to do more teaching in the future. Temi is immensely talented and works incredibly hard. We can't wait to see what's in store for him in the future!
Check out:
Temi's Website
|  | |
Two POD alumni, Clarissa Guzman (ARCH '25, work pictured left) and Abenda Sohn (IL '22, work pictured center) have work included in Sonder: Black Biennial, a multidisciplinary exhibition bringing together Black artists from RISD and the surrounding community, which is currently on view at RISD's Gelman Gallery.
Congratulations also to Prophet Raines (SC '25) (pictured right), who has been a TA with POD this year and was one of the co-curators who put together this incredible exhibition!
Read more about the show here:
Sonder: Black Biennial
| |
|
Congrats to Abenda Sohn (RISD IL '22), who was recently accepted to the Yale School of Art and will start his graduate studies in sculpture this upcoming Fall 2024!
Check out:
Abenda's Website
| |
POD Alumni Alia Del Borgo (Rhode Island College '25) recently had work accepted and exhibited at the Providence Art Club in Providence. Her piece above received honorable mention in the art club's annual College exhibition.
Check out:
Alia's website
| | |
|
Left to Right: Attila John (FAV'24), Danny Svay (FAV '24), Naylea Hernandez (PT '24), Temilola Matanmi (FAV'24)
The images above were taken four years ago, when these 4 POD alumni started their foundations year at RISD! This year they are all graduating. Congrats to each of them on this amazing accomplishment!
We also send out a huge congratulations to all the other POD alumni who are graduating this year from:
- New England College (1)
- Maine College of Art + Design (1)
- Providence College (1)
- Rhode Island College (2)
- University of Rhode Island (1)
| Above, Left to Right: Luisa Santos, who earned her MS in Nutrition from URI, with her family including brothers Byron + Pablo who are also POD alumni, Aleida Gomes graduated with a degree in Modern Languages from RIC, and Foster Hazziez graduated from RIC with a BA in Digital Media | Above: POD alumni and Advisory Committee Members Temi and Naylea on RISD graduation day! | | |
|
We are grateful for the generous support of
Hasbro Foundation
Ocean State Charities Trust
Rhode Island School of Design
The Geneviève McMillan-Reba Stewart Foundation
whose generous investments in POD
make our work possible and sustainable.
If you are interested in donating to POD, please reach out to:
Maghan Bolles
Assistant Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations
mbolles@risd.edu | 401.454.6762
OR
Check out the NEW donate page on our website!
|
| | | | | |
