Hammond and Her Art Selected For Pre-College Program at New York State Summer School for the Arts
Erika Hammond ’20 was only one of 95 students across the state selected to attend the New York State Summer School for the Arts in July, based on her art portfolio and her openness to expanding her craft. The residential program runs for four weeks and includes intensive sessions in painting, drawing, printmaking and sculpture, under the guidance of visiting art professors at SUNY Fredonia. Her Art teacher Liz Maloney guided her through the portfolio development process. She considers Erika one of her most “thoughtful and imaginative artists with a firm hold on the art skills and mindset to usher her in to a successful career as an artist.”
NYSSSA is specifically designed to create experiences that cannot be undertaken in a 45 minute class period. Students work in the studio under the direction of noted exhibited artists and educators. This summer, in addition to art-related field trips to art museums in Buffalo, students drew from a live model, took a trip to Lake Erie, and explored welding, direct carving, printmaking and casting. “The teachers and guest artists were absolutely awesome. My art progressed to a whole new level,” says Erika.
In addition to pursuing the direct artist process, students have the opportunity to live and work with 95 other student artists on the beautiful lakeshore campus of SUNY Fredonia. They establish career goals while sharing in a rewarding precollege program. Because of the in-depth experience and number of class hours this program provides, students more than fulfill the requirements for one full-length high school credit. Erika plans to attend a fine arts college in the Fall of 2020.