Recap and Farewell: Teen Art Cooperative: January – May!

Emily Simons talks about the work of the Beehive Collective with Co-op members.

Since we last checked in, the Teen Art Cooperative has been up to so much! We started out the New Year with a compelling and informative workshop from Emily Simons of the Beehive Collective, followed by a captivating and collaborative visual workshop from current Mattress Factory artist Kevin Clancy. As Spring rolled in, we made our own jewelry pieces with local artist Catharine Luckett, and then had a lesson in visual literacy from the wonderful Joey Behrens.

Co-op members explore phenomenal properties of light and technology with Kevin Clancy.

During this time, we also worked hard on planning our second event UNHIBERNATE, which took place on April 1, 2016.

Flyer for Teen Art Co-op's event UNHIBERNATE. 

The event featured performances from local bands Chattel Tail, Chase the Monkey and Nox Boys, as well as visits from local organizations 1Hood, Bike Pittsburgh and our friend Emily Simons of the Beehive Collective. By the end of the night, our donation-based admission station had collected 254 pounds of canned and dry goods for the Northside Community Food Pantry!

UNHIBERNATE guests smile as balloons drop during the Nox Boys performance.

As the end of year drew closer, the Co-op members packed in some great, informative field trips to Radiant Hall Studios in Lawrenceville and Manchester Craftsmen's Guild on the North Side.

Artist Liz Rudnick speaks with Co-op members about her practice at Radiant Hall Studios in Lawrenceville.

We learned how to make and stitch our very own books with Sarah Croop, and we playfully experimented with movement and readymade sculptures with artist Jasen Bernthisel.

Co-op members work on their folding skills during a bookmaking workshop with artist Sarah Croop. The workshop took place inside of the Rob Voerman's installation Faculty on the fourth floor. 

Before we knew it, it was time for the Cooperative to think about its final event of the season. After some hard work and thoughtful planning, KALEIDOSCOPE emerged — a collective art show featuring the work of all 11 Co-op members. The evening also featured a musical performance by previous Co-op members Mogo as well as Voice Channel, a project created by a group from Winchester Thurston High School that is concerned with amplifying youth voices in the social justice realm.

KALEIDOSCOPE took place on Friday, May 27, and it was a wonderful way to bookend an amazing year. We can't wait to see what each of these Co-op members will create, tackle, and organize next...we are sure it will be stellar!

The Cooperative poses for a final group shot at their collective art show KALEIDOSCOPE, with Co-op member Janine Paulson's piece 'Table Cloths and Bed Sheets' as a backdrop. 

RECAP // Teen Art Cooperative

The Teen Art Cooperative poses for a photo with artist Thad Mosley outside of his studio in Manchester.

If you come to the Mattress Factory on a Thursday afternoon, you might just see the Teen Art Cooperative in action - making, discussing, dreaming and scheming. Building from the success of the Summer Art Cooperative, this FREE program for high school students is in its first year and currently boasts twelve young artists. during the course of the school year, the teens will have the opportunity to meet with ten different teaching artists for workshops, plan three of their own events, talk with museum staff, and outline and expand upon personal goals.

The Cooperative aims to make the Mattress Factory an open space and a resource for teens in the same way that it is for professional artists. We believe that there are many different and exciting ways to exist as a creative individual in the world, and we want to showcase that. By examining tons of ideas and practices that fall under the umbrella term of art, we hope to provide the teens with more skills and confidence as they begin choosing their own paths and transitioning into life after high school. We think that art jobs are tough jobs, and we want to take them seriously, and make some friends along the way!

Artist Ceci Ebitz demonstrates a method of dyeing fabric with natural materials.

The teens come from high schools all over the city, including Avonworth, CAPA, Chartiers Valley, The Ellis School, Mars Area, Oakland Catholic, Obama Academy, Seneca Valley, and Total Learning Academy. In their first two months, the teens have done all sorts of things. We visited artist Thad Mosley in his studio and learned about his woodcarving and life practices, perfected over the span of seven decades. We planned our first Cooperative event and screen-printed event flyers, under the guidance of Jen Rockage and Lauren Bailey at Artist Image Resource. We learned various ways to dye fabric with natural materials with the help of local artist Cecilia Ebitz. We have made connections and gotten to know each other better. It's just the beginning and we are so excited for what's to come!

Adia Taimuty-Loomis, a junior from Mars Area High School, says that she looks forward to coming to the Cooperative every week. "Coming down here to my favorite art museum every Thursday and spending time with some amazing people is the absolute highlight of my week... Learning about the ways these fellow artists think and work influences my art and makes me a better artist myself. I love learning about the different occupations artists can have by going to places like AIR."

A Co-op teen screen-prints a flyer for their first event in December

Join us for our first event Gala in the Graveyard on December 10 from 6-8 p.m. in the Mattress Factory Lobby at 500 Sampsonia Way. Dress as your favorite departed icon of art or music. Admission is FREE, refreshments and fun activities are provided, and the galleries at 500 Sampsonia Way will be open for you to explore! We hope to see you there.

ANNOUNCING // Teen Art Cooperative

The Mattress Factory is gearing up for our first TEEN ART COOPERATIVE program and we want YOU! Applications for the program are now being accepted through September 20.

Following up on the success of our Summer Art Cooperative, we will be continuing with a year-round program, which will allow young artists to be their own curators, event planners, art installers and more. Participants will interact with working artists and organizations to better understand paths for a creative life, planning their own events, and building skills that it can use in the future.

Although we will focus on several visual art skills and workshops, this is not only a studio-based program. The Cooperative will be a diverse learning experience encompassing all sorts of ideas, actions and projects. Expect to hear about everything from dance troupes, to canning foods to screen-printing. We want to make the museum and the North Side of Pittsburgh expansive resources for teens in the same way that they are for visiting artists and members of the community.

The MF's TEEN ART COOPERATIVE is an entirely FREE program. We ask that participating teens commit as best as possible to all Thursday afternoons for the 2015-2016 school year. We will meet every Thursday (excluding holidays) from 4-6pm, starting on October 1, 2015 and continuing to May 2016.

For questions and more information, please email stephanie@mattress.org.