Teen Project Studio +2.0
Teen Project Studio: Spring 2025
Graffiti & Mural Arts with Karen Pedrosa
Ready to unleash your creativity? Teen Project Studio (TPS) is back for an electrifying 9-week program diving into the world of graffiti and mural painting!
This FREE intensive art experience is designed for teens ages 15 to 19 who are passionate about visual arts. Limited to just 15 students! Admission is by application only—so don’t miss your chance!
Program Dates:
April 20, 2025 – June 21, 2025
Sessions meet Tuesdays & Fridays, 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM
What to Expect:
- Work with renowned Bronx graffiti artist Karen Pedrosa (@kaylovebx).
- Learn about color theory, graffiti techniques, and large-scale mural design in a hands-on environment.
- Experience a special trip to The Whitney Museum on May 2 to explore artistic influences.
- Collaborate with a team of young artists to create bold, expressive works of art!
Schedule:
Tuesdays: 4/22, 4/29, 5/6, 5/13, 5/20, 5/27, 6/3, 6/10, 6/17
Fridays: 4/25, 5/2, 5/9, 5/16, 5/23, 5/30, 6/6, 6/13, 6/20
If you’re ready to paint, create, and express yourself, TPS is the place to be. Don’t miss out—apply now!
Teen Project Studio +2.0
Past Projects
SUMMER 2022
3D INTERACTIVE MAPPING
INSTRUCTOR: Julia Pontés
Participants worked collectively to create a new form of mapping representing the West Farms and the Bronx River, using photography, family and public archives, geology, and geography to create 3D maps and an art installation.
SPRING 2022
MURAL MAKING
INSTRUCTOR: Jonathan E.A. Berry
Participants from Fannie Lou Hamer Freedom High School designed and produced a mural art installation for BRAC’s side entrance wall, under the tutelage of an experienced street artist.
WINTER 2022
FASION DESIGN
INSTRUCTOR: Edwin Reyes
Participants studied the different techniques of both fashion icons and up-and-coming young designers, learning how to create a mood board and exploring texture and pattern in fabrics.
FALL 2021
GAME DESIGN
INSTRUCTOR: Hector Canonge
Participants were introduced to the tools and techniques needed for conceptualizing and crafting their own board games through online interactive sessions via Zoom.
SUMMER 2021
GAME DESIGN
INSTRUCTOR: Hector Canonge
Participants were introduced to the tools and techniques needed for conceptualizing and crafting their own board games through online interactive sessions via Zoom. This culminated in the creation of their own board games that were put on display in the gallery for children and parents to freely interact and play with during one of BRAC’s student art exhibitions.
SPRING 2021
PHOTOGRAPHY AND ACTIVISM
INSTRUCTOR: Chae Kihn, Erica Lansner, Lucy Baptiste, Phoenix Robles, & Caroline Mardok
Various photographers who had their work displayed as part of BRAC’s Honoring Black Lives Matter art exhibition (on view May - July 2021) hosted a lecture series in which they discussed their work, the role photography can play in social justice and activism, and gave feedback on the pictures taken by participants. Each photographer led two sessions each over the course of ten weeks.
WINTER 2021
PUBLIC SCULPTURE
INSTRUCTOR: Karine Duteil, Nadej Hocini, & Caroline Mardok
Participants worked with Karine Duteil and Nadej Hocini of KaN Landscape Design to learn how to design a public art installation, using their own project with photographer Caroline Mardok as a basis. Students took pictures of their neighborhoods in order to gain inspiration to create own miniatures, which were displayed as part of BRAC’s Honoring Black Lives Matter art exhibition that May.
SUMMER/FALL 2020
URBAN DESIGN
INSTRUCTOR: Karine Duteil & Nadej Hocini
Students were introduced to public urban design; following the guideline of the BlackSpace Manifesto, and discussing and designing potential alterations that could be made for a dangerous stretch of road near BRAC, using the pandemic as a constraint. Participants were able to relieve some of their anxiety while creating a beautiful space and reconnecting with their neighborhood and community.
WINTER 2020
GRAPHIC AND TEXTILE DESIGN
INSTRUCTOR: Kathie Halfin
Under the title From Bauhaus to Our House, this session of TPS +2.0 had participants learn graphic and textile design using Bauhaus art principles; Bauhaus being a early 20th century art movement focused on the use of clean lines, bold coloration, and simple geometric shapes. Students utilized both digital and hands-on techniques when creating imagery within the style.
FALL 2019
GRAPHIC DESIGN
INSTRUCTOR: Amy Sinclair
Participants learned about the Bauhaus aesthetic, in all its geometric stylings, and experimented with the style in learning how to design simple yet striking imagery. Students also played with typography, testing alternate designs for the BRAC logo.
SUMMER 2019
GRAPHIC/PRODUCT DESIGN
INSTRUCTOR: Larry Jackson
Participants learned about graphic design and how to apply such principles to create aesthetically-pleasing product packaging. Students took place in weekly critique sessions of each other’s art and learned how to think three-dimensionally in regards to crafting the final product (i.e. a small hand-sized box decorated with their artwork).
SPRING 2019
DESIGN AND DIGITAL FABRICATION
INSTRUCTOR: Art Jones
From April 2019 to December 2020, BRAC worked with The POINT to design and create a series of benches for the Concrete Plant Park in the Hunts Point neighborhood of the Bronx. The year-and-a-half long project had participants learn everything involved with the creation of a public works project; from workshopping ideas within your team, to meetings with the site owners and contractors, to finalizing designs and your budget, to the final production.
Spring 2019 - Conceptualization, Summer 2019 - Exhibition and Production Meeting for Final Three Benches, Fall 2019 - Production and Installation, Winter 2020 - Continued Installation, Summer 2020 - Continued Installation and Painting, Fall 2020 - Continued Installation and Painting
WINTER 2019
STOP-MOTION ANIMATION
INSTRUCTOR: Krisia Ayala
Participants learned about the art of stop-motion. Students visited art museums such as Cooper Hewitt to learn more about visual design, and gain inspiration for how to craft their own short animated film based on community and identity. Participants were able to make use of the 4th floor ceramics space to mold their clay figures, set up a stage and lighting, and start bringing their vision to life.
FALL 2018
STOP-MOTION ANIMATION - INSTRUCTOR: KRISIA AYALA
Participants visited exhibitions such as the Wes Anderson: Isle of Dogs Exhibition at Parasol Projects to learn more about stop-motion animation, and gain inspiration for how to craft their own short film. Participants were able to make use of the 4th floor ceramics space to mold their clay figures, set up a stage and lighting, and start bringing their vision to life.
SUMMER 2018
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
INSTRUCTOR: Larry Jackson
Participants learned about transitional housing (temporary housing intended for homeless individuals), discussed the functions such housing would require to suit their residents’ needs, and theorized how to design a home for this purpose. Students drew basic architectural plans both by-hand and using computer software, and hand-built their own scale models using foam core.
2022
Summer 2022: 3D Interactive Mapping
Participants worked together to create new forms of mapping representing West Farms and the Bronx River. They used photography, family and public archives, geology, and geography to create 3D maps and an art installation.
Spring 2022: Mural Making
Students from Fannie Lou Hamer Freedom High School designed and produced a mural for BRAC’s side entrance wall under the guidance of an experienced street artist.
Winter 2022: Fashion Design
Participants studied various fashion techniques from both iconic designers and emerging talents, creating mood boards and exploring textures and patterns in fabrics.
2021
Fall 2021: Game Design
Participants learned tools and techniques for conceptualizing and crafting board games through online interactive sessions via Zoom.
Summer 2021: Game Design
A similar program to Fall 2021, participants crafted board games, which were displayed in a gallery for children and parents to interact with during an exhibition.
Spring 2021: Photography and Activism
Photographers featured in BRAC’s Honoring Black Lives Matter art exhibition hosted lectures discussing the role of photography in social justice and activism. They provided feedback on participant photographs.
Winter 2021: Public Sculpture
In collaboration with Karine Duteil and Nadej Hocini of KaN Landscape Design, participants learned how to design public art installations. They created miniatures inspired by neighborhood photographs, displayed as part of BRAC’s Honoring Black Lives Matter exhibition.
2020
Summer/Fall 2020: Urban Design
Students were introduced to urban design concepts, focusing on redesigning a dangerous stretch of road near BRAC. They used the BlackSpace Manifesto as a guide and incorporated the pandemic as a constraint.
Winter 2020: Graphic and Textile Design
Under the theme From Bauhaus to Our House, participants explored graphic and textile design principles based on the Bauhaus art movement. They employed both digital and hands-on techniques to create imagery.
2019
Fall 2019: Graphic Design
Participants learned about the Bauhaus aesthetic and experimented with its geometric styles. They also explored typography and created alternative designs for the BRAC logo.
Summer 2019: Graphic/Product Design
Students learned about graphic design and how to apply those principles to create aesthetically-pleasing product packaging. They participated in weekly critiques of their work and learned to think three-dimensionally when crafting small hand-sized boxes decorated with their artwork.
Spring 2019: Design and Digital Fabrication
BRAC collaborated with The POINT to design and create benches for Concrete Plant Park in Hunts Point, Bronx. The project took over a year and involved everything from team brainstorming to site meetings, budgeting, and final production.
Winter 2019: Stop-Motion Animation
Participants learned about stop-motion animation, visiting museums like Cooper Hewitt for inspiration. They used clay to create figures and set up stages for their own short animated films based on community and identity.
2018
Fall 2018: Stop-Motion Animation
Participants gained inspiration from exhibitions such as the Isle of Dogs show and worked in a ceramics space to mold figures, set up stages, and start bringing their animated stories to life.
Summer 2018: Architectural Design
Students focused on designing transitional housing for homeless individuals. They discussed the needs of residents and created basic architectural plans by hand and using software, ultimately building scale models with foam core.
Registration & Fee Information:
Please note that we have a first-come, first-serve policy. Reserve your spot as soon as possible!
All fees must be paid in full at the time of registration. In addition, you can contact us at info@bronxriverart.org or call 718.589.5819
Cancellation Policy: If a class does not meet capacity, it may be canceled, in which case students will have the option to either take another class or receive a full refund.
Unless otherwise noted, all classes include materials and use of professional equipment.
Locations of Classes & Travel Directions:
In-person classes will take place at the Bronx River Art Center, located at 1087 E. Tremont Avenue, Bronx, NY 10460