YEAR IN REVIEW
2024
Dear Friends,
It’s been another incredible year of growth, impact, and creativity at Art Division. In January, we kicked off 2024 with the powerful Alimento Dinner at Emmanuel Presbyterian Church, partnering with Alexandria House to raise funds for much-needed backpacks and supplies for day laborers in our community. The evening was alive with performances, a live mural by our talented students, and a collective commitment to serving our neighborhood.
Last Spring, we had the honor of hosting Oaxacan artist and teacher Victor Mortales for a transformative month-long residency. Victor’s performance, installation, and student workshops enriched our entire community and deepened our connection to
international art.
Our Fall semester brought dynamic additions to our programming, with new classes like Mural Painting with Luis Mateo, Painting Contemporary Life with Sandeep Mukherjee, and Acting for the Camera with Cheryl Puente—each providing our students with unparalleled access to professional training and artistic growth.
At Art Division, we believe in connecting our students to the vibrant LA art scene. This year’s field trips, led by our incredible Director of Excursions, Elsa Longhauser, included visits to The Getty Center, The Broad, LACMA, The Hammer Museum, The Cheech in Riverside, and top galleries like David Zwirner and Jeffrey Deitch Projects. These experiences open doors and inspire our students to see their future in the arts. We also want to give a special thanks to artist Felix Quintana and LAND for creating a mural on the wall east of Art Division and for hosting an instructive cyanotype workshop.
Our gallery presented four phenomenal exhibitions:
These exhibitions give our students, staff, and featured artists the platform they deserve to display their talent to the broader art community.
Our Oaxaca Exchange Program, now in its fifth year, continues to open doors for our students. This year, Ana Reyes and Leslie Martinez were residents at CaSa (Centro de las Artes, San Agustin), mastering traditional techniques like papermaking and glassblowing, while Jennifer Payan and Clarissa Torres honed their skills in ceramics with Claudio Jeronimo and Toñita Silva at Taller Canela. First-time participants in our culinary arts program, Jailene Sanchez and Leticia Navarro, immersed themselves in Oaxacan cuisine under the guidance of Chef Frederick Jiménez of A Qué Te Sabe. Additionally, we offered two art retreats in Yucca Valley to observe and study the stars for our current Heavenly Bodies exhibition. We also visited Sky’s the Limit Observatory and Nature Center in Joshua Tree, hosted by Ann Congdon, with a night lecture and star gazing led by Astronomy Professor John Watkins.
This summer, our painting studio transformed into a ceramics workshop where students explored hand-building techniques with Maria Ahverdyan and James Brice, continuing our commitment to offering diverse artistic experiences. Our library, under the expert guidance of librarian and artist Melissa Soriano, continues to be a cornerstone of our program. Melissa says, “Our library is one of the most crucial services we provide. These books are more than resources; they’re gateways to our students’ creative and educational growth.” And her work doesn’t stop there—she’s currently organizing ten satellite libraries across Southern California. We continue providing our students with scholarships that help with their college tuition and other expenses. We also offer counseling and support to students who are applying to college or transferring to
four-year colleges.
At Art Division, we don’t just foster creativity—we set our students up for success. Selma Holo the former director of the USC Fisher Museum of Art continues to serve as our Special Advisor. Her counsel and wisdom are a wonderful addition to Art Division. And this past summer, we celebrated the graduations of Luis Mateo (UC San Diego), Bryson Nihipali (USC), Shanine Jaimes (CSU Los Angeles), and Kata Garcia de la Rosa (UC Santa Cruz). Our students receive scholarships, college counseling, and job support to ensure they thrive both in the art world and beyond.
Our programs are more than classes; they are life-changing opportunities for young adults aged 18-27. We offer free, high-quality arts education, individualized tutoring, and career support—all made possible by the generosity of supporters like you.
Thank you for standing with us as we continue to empower the next generation of LA artists.
With gratitude,
Dan McCleary
Art Division Founder and Artistic Director
It’s been another incredible year of growth, impact, and creativity at Art Division. In January, we kicked off 2024 with the powerful Alimento Dinner at Emmanuel Presbyterian Church, partnering with Alexandria House to raise funds for much-needed backpacks and supplies for day laborers in our community. The evening was alive with performances, a live mural by our talented students, and a collective commitment to serving our neighborhood.
Last Spring, we had the honor of hosting Oaxacan artist and teacher Victor Mortales for a transformative month-long residency. Victor’s performance, installation, and student workshops enriched our entire community and deepened our connection to
international art.
Our Fall semester brought dynamic additions to our programming, with new classes like Mural Painting with Luis Mateo, Painting Contemporary Life with Sandeep Mukherjee, and Acting for the Camera with Cheryl Puente—each providing our students with unparalleled access to professional training and artistic growth.
At Art Division, we believe in connecting our students to the vibrant LA art scene. This year’s field trips, led by our incredible Director of Excursions, Elsa Longhauser, included visits to The Getty Center, The Broad, LACMA, The Hammer Museum, The Cheech in Riverside, and top galleries like David Zwirner and Jeffrey Deitch Projects. These experiences open doors and inspire our students to see their future in the arts. We also want to give a special thanks to artist Felix Quintana and LAND for creating a mural on the wall east of Art Division and for hosting an instructive cyanotype workshop.
Our gallery presented four phenomenal exhibitions:
- Jugando/ Play curated by Luis Motta
- James H. D. Brown: Oval Paintings and Other Works
- HEADS curated by Dan McCleary and Luis Serrano
- Heavenly Bodies curated by Leah Fuentes and Jennifer Payan.
These exhibitions give our students, staff, and featured artists the platform they deserve to display their talent to the broader art community.
Our Oaxaca Exchange Program, now in its fifth year, continues to open doors for our students. This year, Ana Reyes and Leslie Martinez were residents at CaSa (Centro de las Artes, San Agustin), mastering traditional techniques like papermaking and glassblowing, while Jennifer Payan and Clarissa Torres honed their skills in ceramics with Claudio Jeronimo and Toñita Silva at Taller Canela. First-time participants in our culinary arts program, Jailene Sanchez and Leticia Navarro, immersed themselves in Oaxacan cuisine under the guidance of Chef Frederick Jiménez of A Qué Te Sabe. Additionally, we offered two art retreats in Yucca Valley to observe and study the stars for our current Heavenly Bodies exhibition. We also visited Sky’s the Limit Observatory and Nature Center in Joshua Tree, hosted by Ann Congdon, with a night lecture and star gazing led by Astronomy Professor John Watkins.
This summer, our painting studio transformed into a ceramics workshop where students explored hand-building techniques with Maria Ahverdyan and James Brice, continuing our commitment to offering diverse artistic experiences. Our library, under the expert guidance of librarian and artist Melissa Soriano, continues to be a cornerstone of our program. Melissa says, “Our library is one of the most crucial services we provide. These books are more than resources; they’re gateways to our students’ creative and educational growth.” And her work doesn’t stop there—she’s currently organizing ten satellite libraries across Southern California. We continue providing our students with scholarships that help with their college tuition and other expenses. We also offer counseling and support to students who are applying to college or transferring to
four-year colleges.
At Art Division, we don’t just foster creativity—we set our students up for success. Selma Holo the former director of the USC Fisher Museum of Art continues to serve as our Special Advisor. Her counsel and wisdom are a wonderful addition to Art Division. And this past summer, we celebrated the graduations of Luis Mateo (UC San Diego), Bryson Nihipali (USC), Shanine Jaimes (CSU Los Angeles), and Kata Garcia de la Rosa (UC Santa Cruz). Our students receive scholarships, college counseling, and job support to ensure they thrive both in the art world and beyond.
Our programs are more than classes; they are life-changing opportunities for young adults aged 18-27. We offer free, high-quality arts education, individualized tutoring, and career support—all made possible by the generosity of supporters like you.
Thank you for standing with us as we continue to empower the next generation of LA artists.
With gratitude,
Dan McCleary
Art Division Founder and Artistic Director
