Youth Insights teens meet Kathryn Potts, Associate Director, Helena Rubinstein Chair of Education
Jun 30, 2015
YI Teens break the ice with a Human Knot. Photograph by Hannah Celli
On June 30, seventeen New York City teens gathered in the Hearst Artspace for the beginning of the Youth Insights Arts Careers Program. First, we spent some time getting to know each other through icebreaker activities and then we met with Kathryn Potts, Associate Director, Helena Rubinstein Chair of Education. After talking about her role overseeing education programming for adults, school, youth, family, and access audiences, Potts took us to the Lobby Gallery and gave us a fascinating introduction to the history of the Whitney Museum.
YI Teens discuss Edward Hopper’s figure drawings on display in the Lobby gallery. Photograph by Hannah Celli
Potts explained that the Museum’s founder, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, (who was also a sculptor), started her own museum after the Metropolitan Museum of Art refused her offer of her collection of American art. In the early twentieth century, most people did not value American art. At this time, Mrs. Whitney was one of very few art patrons who supported living artists. She also held life drawing sessions in her sculpture studio (the Whitney Studio), where she invited artists to sketch from models. Potts brought this history to life by showing us Edward Hopper’s figure drawings made at the Whitney Studio.
YI participants Iga, Sophie, and Zakiya sketch the view from the Floor 5 outdoor gallery. Photograph by Hannah Celli
Later, we discussed selected works in the exhibition America Is Hard To See and ended our session sketching the views from the Floor 5 outdoor gallery. After an exciting first day, we are all looking forward to what the rest of the summer will bring!
By Hannah Celli, Teen Programs Intern