This summer, more than twenty rising 10th and 11th graders from New York City high schools gathered at The Drawing Center for Camp DRAW-A-THON. Led by Teen Art Salon’s Isabella Bustamante in partnership with The Drawing Center, the week-long summer intensive engaged young artists in a dynamic daily drawing marathon.
Throughout the week, the students drew inspiration from The Drawing Center’s current exhibition The Clamor of Ornament: Exchange, Power, and Joy from the Fifteenth Century to the Present, which explores ornament in architecture, art, and design through the lens of drawing.
The young artists were given a series of prompts and drawing exercises, designed by Bustamante and assistant teaching artist Aneesa Razak, inspired by the works on view. Over the course of the week, their sketchbooks, generously donated by Moleskine, were used as a space to dream, prepare, rehearse, record, and realize artistic vision.
Deepening their conceptual and observational drawing skills, each student was encouraged to explore individual style, the search for inspiration, and spatial awareness on and across their sketchbook pages.
One of the many drawing exercises that the young artists experimented with was to create an ornamental band across the sketchbook page. Each student was assigned a symbol and learned about its meaning throughout history. Drawing inspiration from use of ornamental design presented the works on view in The Clamor of Ornament, the students filled sketchbook pages with their own unique take on the symbols and ornamental patterning.
From the high school sketchbook of artist Susan H., Sun, 2022
From the high school sketchbook of artist Emily N., Nail/Claw, 2022
From the high school sketchbook of artist Vicki L., Fly/Mosquito, 2022
From the high school sketchbook of artist Connie L., Fish, 2022
From the high school sketchbook of artist Lo B., Spider, 2022
From the high school sketchbook of artist My Anh P., Subway, 2022
From the high school sketchbook of artist My Anh P., Subway, 2022
From the high school sketchbook of artist Ivys M., Spark, 2022
From the high school sketchbook of artist Miriam L., Sheep, 2022
From the high school sketchbook of artist Irene L., Peach, 2022
From the high school sketchbook of artist Luella L., Path/Road, 2022
From the high school sketchbook of artist Kay H-C., Ghost, 2022
From the high school sketchbook of artist Andy L., King & Queens.
From the high school sketchbook of artist Luella L., Path/Road, 2022
From the high school sketchbook of artist Kyle C., Spine, 2022
From the high school sketchbook of artist Joselyn C., Hen/Rooster, 2022
From the high school sketchbook of artist Joselyn C., Hen/Rooster, 2022
From the high school sketchbook of artist Sasha C., Spiral, 2022
From the high school sketchbook of artist Adrita R., Frog, 2022
Education and Community Programs at The Drawing Center are made possible by the May and Samuel Rudin Family Foundation, Inc. Major support is provided by the Evelyn Toll Family Foundation and the LeRoy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation. Additional support is provided by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, the Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation, and the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation.
Special thanks to Moleskine.