University Offers First Summer Art Program for High School Students

Jesse Golding ’22 is excited to a be part of a concept art class at the University of New Haven this summer. She won’t be a student in this class, though. Rather, she’ll be an instructor, sharing her passion for art with local high school students.

Part of the University’s Summer Youth Academies Series, the new Art and Design Academy Series enables students entering grades 9-12 to immerse themselves in art under the direction of dedicated University faculty members, such as Prof. Jon Sideriadis, M.F.A. Golding will be part of the concept art program with Prof. Sideriadis, serving as a teaching assistant.

“I'm looking forward to seeing the growth of the incoming students throughout the week of the course,” said Golding, an illustration major. “I believe it will be a great opportunity to learn the basics of digital art that will lay the foundation for more advanced techniques. Along with seeing improvement, I'm also excited to see what fun and unique ideas the students will bring to the class. It's always fascinating to see what different creative minds will offer.”

Prof. Sideriadis, coordinator of the University’s illustration program who teaches courses in illustration, art, and fiction writing, has been working on developing the Art and Design Academy Series for the past two years.

“I'm proud to finally launch the University’s first summer academy that teaches students how to make art,” said Prof. Sideriadis, an award-winning author and illustrator. “I'm looking forward to preparing ambitious and talented students for a bright future in art and design fields.”

‘These skills will prepare them for college-level art’

The academy offers four different courses – concept art, logotype design, drawing, and introduction to interior design – taught by different University faculty members. Each course runs for one week and enables students to draw, paint, and design real-world projects as if they were working for a major studio or publisher.

Prof. Sideriadis will bring his own experience working in a creature effects studio in Hollywood, where he helped bring fictional worlds and characters to life, to the concept art program. He is looking forward to teaching students how to create their own characters and settings for media such as games, animations, and comics.

“Students will be learning how to use perspective and draw realistically from observation; how to design architectural interiors; and how to build graphic design skills,” he said. “These skills will prepare them for college-level art and design courses. Students will have access to state-of-the-art classrooms with traditional art materials and top-notch technology.”

‘A great experience for students’

In developing the program, Prof. Sideriadis worked closely with Kathleen Roberts, director of conference services at the University, who is also very much looking forward to the program.

“We are thrilled to offer four one-week programs which, when taken collectively, provide a comprehensive overview of our University of New Haven’s Art and Design Department,” she said. “The faculty are ready to work with students on types of art about which they already feel impassioned, while introducing them to new opportunities to develop their crafts.”

Golding, the academy teaching assistant, hopes students will have fun in the program, while also developing as artists.

“I believe this class will be a great experience for students who want to explore digital art and concept art,” she said. “Professor Sideriadis is a talented artist who is able to adapt to any of the students' styles, which I think will be highly beneficial in improving their current level of work. I hope they will be able to walk away from the class more confident with digital art and with a more developed way of bringing their concepts to life.”