One of the most special aspects of One River School is the fact that we really focus on teaching art AND making it fun to learn here. As part of that philosophy, we are just as excited about the students who want to come here once a week for a recreational opportunity as we are about the students who want to be professional artists.

Having said that, if a teen student wants advanced classes, and perhaps they are looking for a college level experience, we want to be the best in the world at delivering this type of program.

So, let me tell you about this past weekend because we ran one of the coolest events that we have ever produced. We installed an exhibition of student work at the Bravin Lee Gallery in New York. It showcased the artwork from 14 students who are enrolled in the Art Effect program at our school in Englewood, NJ. The artwork and the students simply blew me away.

For six months, we challenged our students to make an original body of work with the promise of showing in New York City. We brought in adjunct professors and gave them access to ambitious materials. We call the program “Art Effect,” because we are looking to figure out the “effect” a professional art experience will have on younger students; by a look at the outcomes, it is quite clear that our student growth has accelerated dynamically.

Take a look at these pictures on our Facebook page.

The feedback we received from students and their parents was universally off-the-chart. Our plan is to roll this program nationally to give our most serious students everywhere a chance to participate in something really special.

Matt Ross
Founder

#MondayThoughts #OneRiverSchool #ArtEffect
matt@oneriverschool.com