Young artists get boost from apprenticeship program

Active Spanish Market artisans act as mentors

Kay Lockridge | For The New Mexican

7/19/2008 - 7/20/08

Spanish Market often seems like a seamless, continuous line that extends from children as young as seven to established senior artists long known for their Spanish colonial art. There is a middle ground, however, where young artists may reside briefly: the Developing Artist Program.

Established in 1997, youngsters who "age out" of the Youth Market at 18 and want to continue pursuit of their art but are hesitant to plunge into the adult Spanish Market may apply for Developing Artist Assistance between the ages of 18 and 21. Each January, the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art contacts each artist in the previous year's Spanish Market, offering information and applications for the program.

"The program is aimed at youth artists who have participated in Spanish market and are between the ages of 18 — those turning 18 before the next Market — and 21," according to Patricia Price, curator of education at the Museum. "We want to support young adults whose work we have encouraged during their early years.

"If these young adults wish to be screened with other adult artists for the Market, they may do so. If, however, a youth does not feel ready for this step or has not been approved in the screening process but wants to pursue his or her art, then he or she may apply for this apprenticeship," Price said.

The process is rigorous: the young adult must enlist a currently active Spanish Market artist, other than a parent or another relative, with whom to study. The Market mentor artists must be juried into the Market in the art form they are teaching. The youngster then must apply to the Society of Colonial Arts and be accepted into the program by the Education Committee.

Each apprenticeship provides a stipend of $750 for a three-month period of study. The selected Spanish Market artist receives 75 percent of the stipend for his or her effort with the young artist, and the remaining 25 percent covers materials and other expenses as needed. All work and any remaining materials stay with the young artist at the end of the program.

During that time, additional money may be requested for workshops and classes that provide training in the young artist's chosen medium. An artist may apply for and receive apprentice funding no more than two times, Price said.

Developing artists, usually one or two young adults, have their own booth at Spanish Market, where they may show and demonstrate their work but not compete for awards or sell directly. But don't look for that booth this year; Price said that for the first time in her memory, no one applied for the Developing Artist apprenticeship this year.