Art-Speak's ArtWorks Program
Pairs Middle School Students
With Local Artists

Art-Speak's Artworks program reached a milestone recently completing its first session with Portsmouth Middle School art students from Ms. Anna Nuttall's class who learned to create sculpture from recyclables.  Nate Walker, creator of the "Giant Red Ant" sculpture that stood in Market Square as part of the Overnight Art program, was the first local artist to participate in the new program aimed at encouraging students to consider careers in the Seacoast's arts and cultural community.

 ArtWorks was created to enrich students' knowledge of careers in the arts by creating partnerships between local schools, businesses and artists.  In addition to the artist-led classes, students will get a chance to visit art-related businesses and meet with owners and employees to learn first-hand what its like to be involved in Portsmouth's creative economy.  Ultimately organizers hope that students will develop long-term relationships with teachers, artists and businesses; learn the value of life long investment in the arts, understand the economic contribution of the arts to the local community, get a chance to explore career opportunities and appreciate the need for sustainable practices as it relates to Portsmouth's arts and cultural community. Art-Speak expects that more than 100 middle school students will participate in the program.

 The ArtWorks program is supported by a grant from the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts Artlinks program and in-kind contributions from the City of Portsmouth, Art-Speak, Portsmouth School Department and participating businesses.   

 First fruits from the ArtWorks project will go on display at 6 p.m., Feb. 9 in the Portsmouth Public Library's Youth Services Section.  On hand for the unveiling will be participating students, parents, visiting artist Nate Walker, members of the Art-Speak board and representatives from the City and Portsmouth School Department.

 The student sculptures will be on display through February and then travel to participating downtown businesses as part of Art-Speak's Youth Art Month community partnership project.  

To see a gallery of the sculptures, click here.

 Two other artists are currently working with middle school students in Ms. Nancy Pollock's class-- photographer Barbara Rita Jenny and Bill Rogers, a master of film and web design. Rogers, with Court Street Media and Coruway Film Institute, will be teaching students how to create public service announcements and podcasts regarding sustainability, climate change and other environmental issues. Jenny is a visual artist whose work transforms macrophotographs of human skin into digitally altered baroque-like patterns printed onto fabrics and other surfaces that she calls Kaleideskins.  Jenny will be teaching students her technique and helping them create personal Identity Quilts made from macrophotographs of their hands.

For an overview of the ArtWorks project, click here.