Creative Clay’s Artlink connects professional artists, students

By KERRY KRISEMAN
Creative Clay Public Relations Manager

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — One professional artist, one student artist. Ten teams meeting weekly for mentoring and learning, growing and producing. This is Creative Clay’s Artlink project. Artlink teams are working toward a September exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg, and on a play featuring a local playwright and St. Petersburg actors.

The unique pairing of professional and student was birthed in 1999 to give student artists with a disability the opportunity to work one-on-one with professional artists in the community. Participants are chosen based on their medium of concentration, skill level, experience, and demonstrated enthusiasm for the project.
Artlink is funded through a grant from National Endowment for the Arts and is one of Creative Clay’s seven programs that create arts accessibility for individuals with neuro-differences. In the true spirit of teamwork exists collaboration, the sharing of ideas, experimentation, and a mastering of artistic skills. Artist mentors also share the important skills of the business of art, how to create and sustain successful careers as working artists.
“Inevitably, they will tell me that working with their partners was more personally meaningful than they anticipated–even transformative–and they overwhelmingly recommend the program to other professional artists.”
In the true spirit of teamwork exists collaboration, the sharing of ideas, experimentation, and mastering of artistic skills. Artist mentors also share the important skills of the business of art, how to create and sustain successful careers as working artists.

“Honestly, it’s all fun. The most successful has been a collaboration we did on a ceramic mask. I was a magical process, and we were both able to equally deliver our styles and come out with a very cohesive, strong piece that we both are happy with,” said Calan Ree of her partnership with Marquise R.

Ten teams of two spend four months in the Artlink apprenticeship program. They track goals by logging their progress throughout the program, which culminates in a curated gallery exhibit this September at St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts.

“Although Artlink was designed as a program to benefit artists with disabilities, I am always impressed by how much the professional artists get out of it,” said Marcy Miller, Creative Clay Director of Artlink Vocational Services.

Kinsey Rodriguez agrees, and shares what working with artist Carla L. means to her. “We have really developed a fun relationship around our collaboration as artists. We have figured out how to work together and have both our visions present in our art.”
Each Artlink mentor teaches their partner how to craft an artist statement, budget for art supplies and skills for networking in the community. One is designated leader, the other student, but the partnership produces lessons for all. Relationships are formed and each learns from the other. Some of the professional Artlink artists are experiencing their first stint at teaching; likewise, for some students this may be their first experience in such a partnership. The potential for learning extends beyond the art produced. Artlink inspires student and teacher to continue to invest in the passion of art making by collaborating and furthering their education.
Each team also will produce retail items, such as limited-edition posters, prints, greeting cards, and a journal that documents, either visually or with text, the Artlink experience for the team.
Meike Groh and Sydney R. have enjoyed getting to know one another through this process. “Getting to guide her toward making her own short film come to life has been wonderful. I find it really awesome being able to collaborate and teach Sydney how animation works,” said Groh.
And, the Artlink team of Mason Gehring and Tate F. are creating a body of work based on Marvel characters. “Recently, Tate and I have been focusing more on creating portraits of his favorite Marvel characters recreated in the style of famous artist portraits,” said Gehring.

Following are the Artlink teams:
• Marquise R. and Calan Ree
• Tyler B. and Lourdes Rosas Rasdall
• Cameron P. and Jonathan Michael James
• Tate F. and Mason Gehring
• Cory B and Gordon Bonnett
• Dalmary Rosa and Alli Arnold
• Sydney Ray and Meike Groh
• Marissa Harris and Rissa Olson
• Michael Johnson and Rick Crandall
• Carla Lopez and Kinsey Rodriguez

Creative Clay’s mission is to help people with disabilities achieve full and inclusive lives through access to the arts by providing expressive, educational, and vocational experiences. Creative Clay’s team of professional artists provide outreach art experiences to adults with disabilities, as well as children, veterans and those in shelters.
Follow Creative Clay on Facebook; on Instagram at @creativeclaystpete and on Twitter at @creativeclay.
###