Kids are getting creative with Arts at the Armory’s “Youth Arts Arise” program. —Photos by Joe Renken

By Sanjeev Selvarajah

Parents always encourage talent in their children. An artistic work their child had done might be on a wall of their living space – or, as a constant reminder – on the door to a refrigerator.

But practice makes perfect. The free-of-charge after school program the “Youth Arts Arise” began during the fall of 2014 at the Arts at the Armory. There, 11 to 19 year olds signed up to participate in a program that worked as a fun sociological exercise: the cultural stamp of approval, a decree of geography, a friendship of neighborhoods instead of allusive lines that blur, lines like dollar signs and ethnicity.

More children are welcome to join, as the program expands in the coming seasons. This generations’ children of Somerville will be proud to say they’re from Somerville, apart from similarities to Boston, apart from differences in bygone, Old World identities.

The Arts at the Armory staff credit the growth of the program to the Boston Foundation and its Visual Fund grant. “Youth ages 15-19 who are interested in pursuing a career in art will have an opportunity to become peer leaders and receive a stipend to assist the artist instructors on a rotating basis,” writes the press release. Furthermore, Bridget Galway, an artist and teacher is on hand to help teenagers who might want to apply to art school. The deadline has already passed, but call or email the Armory for instructions to catch-up: visit www.artsatthearmory.org.

The purpose of the program is to encourage the curiosity of Somerville’s youth, to explore a side of themselves that is best begun at an early age. “My Dad has a studio at Vernon. As I got older I wanted to pursue messing around and explore different forms and stuff,” says Shane, who’s pizza-eating robot-piece evoked a sense of humor, a feature missing from art at large and relegated to the misunderstood genre/medium of cartooning.

“I taught this workshop titled “What’s in Your Head?” They were shown examples of artist/writer Saul Steinberg. He was best known for his cartoon/illustrations in the New Yorker. Shane was very specific regarding his title [Pizza Party] being bracketed, so as to give it a heightened sense of the evolving technological world we are experiencing daily,” says Bridget Galway, Shane’s teacher.

“I know that humor is a comfortable way to engage people in subjects that can be difficult to discuss. The more of that, the better!” says artist/teacher Emily Bhargava. “I find it rare when art evokes a sense of humor. But when it does happen, it’s usually awesome,” says Jessica Liggero, another teacher.

One of Ms. Galway’s other students, Bianca, explored the depiction of boxed, almost 3D prints that were very aesthetically pleasing and showed an early understanding of design. Her mother, proud of her daughter’s skill, stood by her; Bianca was one of the younger children participating in the program and her talent and prowess were already obvious.

Young Nikolas didn’t want to pry himself from the large pizza slice he was eating. His father Pavlos said that Nikolas early on loved to illustrate art on restaurant napkins. When asked about the origins that sparked his interest, Nikolas interceded as if to say, “Dude, I don’t know. I’ve been doing this since I was one years old.”

Bridget Galway is in excellent company with Jessica Liggero and Emily Bhargava among other staff members. “In life I genuinely believe that ‘everything affects everything.’ Once you realize that negative energy can yield powerful work that inspires people, then you see the need and relatively for all emotions. How they are all connected and perfectly balanced. How everything affects everything,” said Ms. Liggero, whose art can be seen online at www.jessicaliggero.com.

Like the studio-friendly Liggero, Emily Bharagava sees the advantages of sampling artistic mediums: “The technical skills that I teach the students may eventually help them tile a shower or pour a cement sidewalk, but more importantly, the skills of breaking a complex project into manageable pieces,” said Ms. Bhargava. Her community health art from her day-to-day life can be seen online as well: www.connectionlab.org and www.glassandlead.com.