Youth ‘artrepreneurs’ showcase talent at Albany Museum of Art pop-up market

ALBANY — Stephen Etherton said he likes to take inspiration from his surroundings when creating art. He often incorporates random objects he sees into his masterpieces.

The 12-year-old’s booth at the Albany Museum of Art’s Friday pop-up market was cluttered with canvases depicting tearful eyes or utilizing “danger zone” tape, a pencil sketch of a cat and a butterfly and colorful beaded magnets.

His pieces were all listed for sale at prices he strategized. While he’s dabbled in art for two years, Friday was Etherton’s first time trying to sell his work. His focus is his passion, but he said he was excited to learn how to market his talents.

“I get to do what I love, and I also get to make money,” Etherton said.

Beginning Monday, a group of 13 middle and high school students spent the week developing an art-related business. The “Artrepreneur” camp was part of the AMA’s summer camp series that began June 5. The museum has put on these camps since it opened, Annie Vanoteghem, the museum’s director of education and public programming, said.

The goal is to provide children and teens structure and creative outlets for the summer.

Students put their creativity to work last week. They painted colorful canvases with acrylics or watercolor and created everything from colorful slimes and soap to beaded jewelry and animals made out of cotton balls.

The group then devised a business plan. They designed their own business cards and logos and learned how to effectively communicate with customers as well as funding and time management.

Through these lessons, the students’ financial literacy skills are being reinforced, Vanoteghem said. AMA’s student programs also allow students who may not have the opportunity to take art classes in school to have that experience outside of it.

“A lot of the schools are lessening art programs, and budgets are getting cut so they can’t do as much,” she said.

Lee County High School art teacher and the camp art instructor Megan Lisenby said she’s fortunate that her school is supportive of art programs. She said she also feels the Lee and Dougherty county communities provide a lot of family and student-friendly, art-focused opportunities. There’s even been an uptick since COVID-19, she said.

“Art has a way,” she said. “It’s always gonna make a way.”

This is Lisenby’s third summer working at these camps. She said she believes it’s important for these students to develop entrepreneurial skills at a young age. The camp also has a positive impact for students who live in rural and high-poverty areas. It gives them a safe place to go.

“You know that your kid is learning new skills, being creative and gaining new experiences instead of maybe getting into trouble,” Lisenby said. “It keeps their brains working over the summer.”

This structure also allows for an easier transition back to school, she said.

“Every year they come up with more exciting ideas,” she said. “Their brains are unhindered by adulthood, so they have nothing holding them back.”

Twelve-year-old Katelyn Malinowski echoed this sentiment. She’s attended the “artrepreneur” camp for several years, she said. This year, she was able to take her medium from soap to painting.

“It feels like I can clear my mind while I’m painting and let my imagination take hold instead of being told what to do,” she said. “I can do what I want. I can paint what I want.”

Being able to sell her work and develop her own brand makes her feel more accomplished, she said.

Crazy, imaginative, cute and bizarre were some of the words the students used to describe their work.

Some, like Precious Thomas, had thought extensively about their business strategies. The 16-year-old thoughtfully created pieces that she could market to different age groups, like cartoon paintings for kids or aprons for adults.

Others took risks with their prices or were simply focused on their love for art, like 13-year-old Maclaney Wilson.

Her paintings were inspired by nature and anime, she said. Her favorite lesson she learned that week was on friendship.

“I made a lot of new friends here,” Wilson said. “For me, it’s not really about the money and the work that comes out of it. It’s more about the fun that I had.”

AMA’s summer art camps run until Aug. 4, and most are filled or have waitlists. The museum was able to provide $6,000 in scholarships to about 35 students, Vanoteghem said.

Visit the museum’s https://www.albanymuseum.com/ama_programs/summer-art-camps/ site for more information.