Art Students League of New York Facts for Kids

The Art Students League of New York is a famous art school located at 215 West 57th Street in Manhattan, New York City, New York. It's known for welcoming both people who want to learn art as a hobby and those who want to become professional artists.

Even though artists can study there full-time, the school doesn't offer degrees or grades. This relaxed approach is a big part of the school's culture. For over a hundred years, many important artists have studied or taught at the League. They have helped shape many art styles and movements around the world.

The League also has a large collection of art made by its students and teachers. It publishes an online magazine called LINEA, which features articles about art. The name LINEA comes from the school's motto, Nulla Dies Sine Linea, which means "No Day Without a Line." This saying is from an ancient Greek painter named Apelles, who believed in practicing his art every single day.

The American Fine Arts Society Building on West 57th Street

The Art Students League: A Brief History
Other Places to Study
Notable Instructors and Lecturers
Notable Alumni
See also

The Art Students League: A Brief History

The Art Students League was started in 1875. Students created it because they felt the main art school at the time, the National Academy of Design, wasn't offering enough classes or choices. This new group of students, which included many women, first met in rented rooms in New York City.

Starting the School: Early Years and Growth

By 1877, the National Academy of Design started offering more art classes again. Some people thought the League wasn't needed anymore, but the students voted to keep it going. It officially became a school the next year. Famous artists like painter Thomas Eakins and sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens were important members of the school's board early on. More and more students joined, so the League had to move to bigger places several times.

A New Home: The American Fine Arts Building

In 1889, the League helped create the American Fine Arts Society (AFAS) with other art groups. They built a special headquarters together at 215 West 57th Street. The Art Students League has been in this building since 1892. The building was designed in a beautiful French Renaissance style. Today, it is a special New York City Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Women Artists and Famous Students

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, many women artists came to study and work at the League. Some, like Wilhelmina Weber Furlong, even took on important leadership roles. Another student, Alice Van Vechten Brown, later helped start some of the first art programs in American colleges.

A student named Edith Dimock described her classes around 1900. She said they had to draw plaster statues, which were called "The Antique." She joked that these statues were perfect models because they never moved!

The famous painter and illustrator Norman Rockwell also studied at the League when he was young. He wrote about his experiences there in his book, My Adventures as an Illustrator.

Artistic Movements and World War II

The League remained very popular in the 1920s and 1930s. Teachers like painter Thomas Hart Benton taught there. One of his students was a young Jackson Pollock, who later became a very famous artist.

During World War II (1942-1943), many students joined the military. The number of students at the League dropped a lot, and the school was almost forced to close. But 500 artists donated money to keep it open. After the war, the G.I. Bill helped many returning soldiers attend classes, which was very important for the League's future.

The League continued to influence new art styles. Many artists who became famous in movements like Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art studied there. These include Helen Frankenthaler, Roy Lichtenstein, and Robert Rauschenberg.

Modern Times: Continuing the Mission

In 1968, Lisa M. Specht became the first female president of the League. Over time, other colleges started offering more art programs, and new art styles like minimalism and photography became popular. This meant the League's unique role in the art world changed a bit.

However, even in 2010, the League still attracts many young artists. It continues to focus on teaching art made by hand, whether it's realistic or abstract. Its main goal remains the same: to give everyone a chance to take art classes and use art studios, no matter how much money they have or how much art experience they have.

Other Places to Study

The Art Students League also had a summer art school in Woodstock, New York, from 1906 to 1922, and again from 1947 to 1979. In 1995, the League opened another campus in Sparkill, New York. This campus is called the Vytlacil campus. It was named after a former teacher, Vaclav Vytlacil, who gave his property and studio to the school.

Notable Instructors and Lecturers

Since it started, the Art Students League has hired many famous professional artists to teach. Some, like George Bridgman and Frank DuMond, taught for over 45 years! They taught anatomy for artists and life drawing to thousands of students. Other long-time teachers include Frank Mason, Kenneth Hayes Miller, Nathaniel Kaz, Knox Martin, and Will Barnet.

Many other well-known artists have taught at the League, including:

Notable Alumni

Many famous artists and creative people have studied at the Art Students League, including:

Art Students League of New York facts for kids

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