The Word is Art!

Here’s a chance to see the work of some young artists before they hit the big time! "Word is Art" will show the work of 15 local high school art students who belong to The Art Institute of Mill Street Loft’s chapter #2242 of the National Art Honor Society (NAHS). The exhibition runs from Saturday (March 15) through Friday, April 11 at 455 Maple Street in Poughkeepsie. Admission is free. The public is invited to attend the artists’ reception from 4 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, including a gallery talk, refreshments and the opportunity to meet and talk with the artists. There will be art for sale.

Here is more information from the organizers:

NAHS students are selected according to a national set of criteria and this group represents 10 area high schools in three Hudson Valley counties. Each piece in the exhibit is inspired by a word, a nine letter (at least) unusual adjective, randomly selected in a drawing by each student. The chapter’s faculty advisors are Art Institute Directors Todd Poteet and Michael Gallo-Farrell.

The National Art Honor Society is comprised of students who demonstrate artistic and academic excellence. The Art Institute of Mill Street Loft’s chapter focuses on the promotion of the arts in our community and the raising of scholarship funds through various activities and venues including: gallery exhibitions, art excursions, volunteer services, guest artists, art competitions, and creating public murals. This chapter is unique in that it is the only one not directly affiliated with a regular school. Members of NAHS are also eligible for additional scholarships to college through the National Art Education Association, or participating schools. Scholarships can range $1,000 to $45,000.

The Art Institute of Mill Street Loft is a year-round pre-college portfolio development program designed for motivated high school students interested in pursuing careers in the visual arts. Since 2000 our students have been offered more than 11 million dollars in merit-based scholarships to the nation’s leading colleges, universities and art schools. For a complete list of Spring 2008 NAHS participants and further information about The Art Institute and Mill Street Loft, please visit its Web site or call 845-471-7477.