Free & Open to High School Students
MOSAIC Student Artist Program is currently recruiting students for our final spring session. This after-school program is a combination of studio practice, the business side of art and arts administration. An extension of the Contemporary’s educational programs, MOSAIC is committed to providing students with free access to quality arts education, encouraging high standards of achievement and fostering excellence and leadership.

Art Instruction:
This instructional session is designed for students interested in exploring oil painting as a new medium in a flexible, student‑centered art session where participants can work at their own pace while receiving guidance. Participants will receive hands‑on instruction ranging from developing an initial concept to advanced painting techniques.

Students have access to all materials at no cost.
No prior experience or skill level is required.

Schedule
MOSAIC session starts on April 16^th and concludes in May 16^th
The program follows an open‑studio format, giving students the flexibility to select the sessions/dates that best fit their schedules.

For information on specific available dates please see the application linked below.

Why join MOSAIC?
The MOSAIC Student Artist Program supports students as they explore creative paths and prepare for future opportunities in the arts. Whether you’re interested in becoming an artist, working in arts administration, or simply building your skills and confidence as an artist, MOSAIC offers free, accessible arts education designed to support your growth in a community of likeminded student peers.

Application requirements
The deadline to apply to this MOSAIC session is April 12 at 11:59 PM. Notice of acceptance will be sent Monday, April 13th
Applicants are required to submit a portfolio of work samples, and complete the application linked below.

Questions?
Contact our Education and Public Programs Manager Juan Zavala Castro at Juan@contemporarysa.org with the subject line “MOSAIC Inquiry” or call 210-985-3732.

Interested in an art career after school but don’t know where to start? Join the Contemporary’s MOSAIC Student Artist Program in a workshop giving you the basics on how to price your artwork.

The workshop will cover pricing structures artist follow and will allow for students to ask questions about pricing reagrding completed or in progress pieces. The workshop will be lead by the Contemporary’s Curator and Director of Exhibitions Jacqueline Saragoza McGilvray.

Registration is required for this free program, participation is exclusive to teens currently registered in High School or equivalent.

For any questions please email, Juan@contemporarysa.org

MOSAIC Student Artist Program invites teens to participate in one-day life painting session. Participating students will work directly from a live model and work under the supervised instruction to create their portrait in oils.

Please note, this workshop will cover the basics of portraiture and painting from life, so students are encouraged to focus on the beginning of the work, without the stress of a finished product. All materials will be provided but students are encouraged to bring additional materials like their preferred paints, and easels.

Registration is required for this free program, participation is exclusive to teens currently registered in High School or equivalent.

 

The Contemporary is excited to welcome visitors to a reception of In Our Own Worlds, a special MOSAIC Student Artist exhibition on view in our inaugural Red Dot Shop.

In Our Own Worlds is a collection of artworks created by the Contemporary’s MOSAIC Student Artists. Working alongside visiting artist Kat Cadena, students reflected on the concept of voice to discuss topics such as human rights and home. The painting workshop encouraged students to research and create their own mini murals on wood panels with alternatively shaped surfaces and textures, providing students a chance to practice problem solving as a muralist.

About the Artists:

River Castillo studies plants, animals, and the way nature coexists with people. They take every opportunity to create art and be a voice for the environment.

Taylor Montemayor is a native San Antonian who took an interest in art at the age of three. She has since been dedicated to sharpening her artistic skills to effectively express her voice and tell her story.

Oscar Magaña is an aspiring illustrator that expresses his personality through silly and original characters. His work is often playful with the goal of cultivating joy and happiness in the world, reconnecting viewers with their inner child.

We are so thrilled to invite the community for the grand reopening of our Education Space (formerly the MOSAIC Student Artist Studio and Gallery)! The newly remodeled gallery, designed by the renowned Lake|Flato Architects, will offer an expanded and improved environment for our MOSAIC Student Artists and the public to engage in the creation and exploration of contemporary art!

Event Timeline

6pm: MOSAIC Exhibition Opening and Performance by Mojo-Rimba

On view: Silly Little Slices of Life
Artists: Miguel Benavidez, River Castillo, Valeria Corona, Jaclyn Garcia, Fatima Madero, Oscar Magana, and Monica Soto

“Silly Little Slices of Life” is a collection of artworks created by Contemporary’s Student Artists. Working with Visiting Artist, Brittany Ham, students explored the intersection of mundanity and social media. Students transformed ordinary images into moments of profound self reflection by experimenting with size, composition, color and medium.

6:30pm: Remarks

• Alissa Howard, Board of Directors, Contemporary at Blue Star
• Mary Heathcott, Executive Director, Contemporary at Blue Star
• Juan Zavala Castro, Education and Public Programs Manager, Contemporary at Blue Star
• Aminah Parham, MOSAIC Coordinator, Contemporary at Blue Star
• Fatima Madero, MOSAIC Student Artist, Contemporary at Blue Star
• Ribbon Cutting

MOSAIC Studio

Free and open to the public

Join Contemporary at Blue Star’s MOSAIC Student Artist Program and Gemini Ink for a celebration of ekphrastic poetry for National Poetry Month. Over the past weeks, MOSAIC Student Artists have been working with Visiting Artist Andrea “Vocab” Sanderson to create original works of visual art and poetry. This capstone celebration will highlight the participants’ literary and visual artworks in a special presentation in the MOSAIC Studio during First Friday.

Please note that the Blue Star Arts Complex charges $15 for limited parking on First Fridays beginning at 3 p.m. To avoid fees and traffic, please consider public transit, carpool, take rideshare, or park in the neighborhood and walk to the Contemporary.