YOUNG ARTIST MENTORING PROGRAM
About Our Young Artist Mentoring Program
Morris Arts’ Young Artist Mentoring Program (YAMP) is a weekly after school program involving some of Morristown High School’s most artistically talented students who need additional support and encouragement refining their artistic skills, developing their own personal style, and assembling a strong art portfolio.
During this program, a professional artist meets weekly with students to help them develop self-expression through their artwork, offer creative feedback, and guide them in building an art portfolio for college or art school. Visiting artists from a variety of creative backgrounds and businesses also boost students’ artistic abilities, business skills, leadership capabilities, and career confidence.
Hand-selected by art teachers and guidance counselors, YAMP participants often have limited financial means, limited or no family support, restrictive English language skills, and other circumstances preventing them from being on a level playing field with their peers. A major objective of this program is to help these students enhance their ability to compete for admission into quality arts schools or colleges, qualify for scholarship aid, or begin a career in the visual arts.
For more information on YAMP, please contact Sarai Warsoff at swarsoff@morrisarts.org or 973-285-5115 x12.
Young Artist Mentoring Program 2024-2025 School Year
This year, art therapist Toni Paolillo served as program lead, meeting weekly with YAMP participants. Toni and several visiting artists worked with the students on a variety of projects including:
- Surrealist canvases with painter and photographer Caitlin Lodato
- Still life acrylic creations with acrylic artist Mike Dzombia
- Printmaking with Mary Shadbolt, fine art illustrator, photographer, and art educator
- Stop motion animation with Tracy Fox, photographer, painter, maker-artist, and teaching artist
The culmination of all their hard work was an exhibition at Surreal Creamery curated by Caitlin Lodato which featured pieces in a variety of mediums including acrylic, collage, gold leaf, and printmaking.
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Thank You to Our Funders for Making YAMP Possible!
