Saturday Art Program Opens Doors to Youths

The Art Center College of Design in Pasadena offers art classes to high school students through its Saturday High program. Each semester it awards scholarships to 40 students who cannot afford the $135-per-class tuition. The scholarship program allows the Art Center to help students, particularly those from Central Los Angeles, who may have little access to art classes in the financially strapped public school system. Students can take classes in such subjects as graphic design, advertising and films. The participants were interviewed by Cathy Franklin.

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Auguste Haboush

instructor

I’m bringing traditional drawing skills to students. Most of my instruction comes from the Renaissance as well as ideas that, through the ages, have been carried on, perfected, distorted and moved all around.

I’m trying to bring that information to the next generation. It enriches just about everybody’s life.

The students are incredibly eager, although it takes awhile for them to get started. They value what they’re getting. It gives them a cultural background, which really can help regenerate communities, and that’s pretty much what I’m interested in doing. They value what they’re getting.

Art can help troubled youth, but one of the problems is that there are just not enough programs or funding going into the arts.

One of the main ways of teaching people is to get them very excited about their subject and about themselves. I teach them the inside structure of the human figure and how to perceive form. I’m trying to make them very aware of their perception of themselves, how they work, what makes them tick. We call it “the art of seeing.” And they don’t have to have a pencil in their hands for them to be drawing. It’s about seeing.

People join gangs and take drugs because it gives them a certain kind of enjoyment. But I find something even more enjoyable; I find art fills that space.

Art gives somebody a little something they can share with other people. Probably its greatest value is that it gives a feeling of self-worth. It can increase our understanding of mathematics, science and philosophy, and instill an appreciation for these things.

My father was an artist. I had a pencil and paper from Day One. When I got older, I got into trouble. It wasn’t until I was in high school that my father brought me to a drawing teacher and I began my formal study. I grew up in Studio City. In high school, we were into every substance, we were “partyers” and into motorcycle racing.

Art was something that challenged me. I had some new heroes, you could almost say, and it allowed me to share something with my friends.

Ultimately I want to go to South-Central Los Angeles and to put some energy into that community and vice versa.

I have one student who sings in a gospel choir in South-Central. He’s invited me to go. It will be like an introduction. I want to establish a program. People need instructors and those who volunteer their services.

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Dana M. Phan

Echo Park

I heard about the program through a friend. I was interested in painting and wanted to see what it was like, so I turned in a portfolio (a requirement to win a scholarship), and I got it.

I know I want to go into the art field, but I’m not sure of which direction.

I’ve taken courses here before and it did cost a lot. I’m fortunate to have the scholarship.

I think the (Saturday High program) will help me get focused on what I want to do. It’s just giving me a look at a variety of things I can be interested in and deal with later on. It’s good practice.

Getting the scholarship has helped me understand where I stand, at what level I am, how well I’m doing, and if I need to do better.

It has really boosted my art education. The work is hard, but then, after a while you get used to it. It’s like an inspiration and you try harder to do better.

Art can be brought back to the community through the school system, although it should be more than just an elective. Last summer, I volunteered at a day-care center. We started off doing a little bit of jewelry work. I got some beads for the kids. I was taking summer school classes at the time and the teacher helped me with the project. I would like to volunteer again.

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Natrece Lee

South-Central

I heard about the program through my dad. He was driving to work and he called me at home and he said, “Natrece, call this radio station and get the number, then call (the Art Center) so you can get a scholarship because you like art so much.”

They sent me an application and I applied. About two weeks later, they sent me a letter saying I got the scholarship.

I submitted a portfolio. My teacher helped me with it. I’ve been taking art since ninth grade.

It’s like I’m getting more out of the classes here. The work we do (in the high school classes) is simple, and this is more of a challenge for me.

I want to go into advertising. It all seems so interesting to me. This will be my major.

If I hadn’t gotten this scholarship, I would have just tried again until I did get it. If I hadn’t gotten it here, I would have just tried somewhere else. I would have just kept trying. I wouldn’t have given up, and I still would have majored in art.

I know I would have gone to art school because of my dad. If I want to do something, he’s going to try his best to help me, as long as I’m happy. He wants me to be successful in life.