Senior Project Exhibition
Melissa Dvozenja-Thomas, Executive Director, Arts Mid-Hudson
As 2025 draws to a close, five Hudson Valley teens are capping off their year—and their high school art journeys—with an impressive body of work at The Art Effect’s Senior Project Exhibition, on view through January 10, 2026. This exhibition represents the culmination of Senior Project, a rigorous 12-week intensive that challenges advanced young artists to develop a cohesive portfolio while gaining experience on par with a college-level arts program.
The Art Effect has empowered young people to discover and develop their creative voices forover 40 years, shaping their futures while driving positive social change. The organization serves over 3,000 students each year through educational programming that encourages them to explore, experience, and excel in the arts. They also welcome an additional 5,500 visitors annually through exhibitions and events. Together, these programs introduce participants to visual arts and media, build real-world skills, and support young people in pursuing their academic and career goals.
Over the course of the Senior Project, students work both in a collaborative studio environment and independently at home, devoting countless hours to refining their skills, experimenting with materials, and crafting personal narratives through visual art. Some, like exhibiting artist Chanel Reed, have invested more than 240 hours into their projects, treating their practice with the discipline and commitment of professional artists.
This year’s exhibition showcases the work of five teens representing communities across the Hudson Valley: Phoenix Barra-Greenmyer of Middletown, Kenny Gray of Holmes, Sadie Pomerantz of Rhinebeck, Chanel Reed of Poughkeepsie, and Virginia Zengen of Stanfordville. Each artist presents a cohesive series that reflects their individual vision, interests, and growth as emerging creatives.
Visitors will have the opportunity not only to view the artwork but also to discover the stories behind it. The exhibition invites audiences to learn about each artist’s process, the motivations driving their self-expression, and the techniques and media that helped bring their concepts to life. The show will feature a diverse range of themes and styles from sci-fi-inspired imagery and narrative works to traditional watercolor paintings and explorations in mixed media.
For many participants, the Senior Project has been transformational. “My time in the Senior Project refreshed my artistic skills and development,” says exhibiting artist Chanel Reed. “I struggled with finding a constant in my art-making in the past, but working on a new series that includes a personal narrative and an exploration of mixed-media materials has gradually given me clarity towards my personal art practice. Working on this series has taught me to trust the slow layering of my own voice.”
Students in the Senior Project program do not just make art; they function as working artists. Throughout the course, they build professional portfolios, participate in critiques, and write artist statements, gaining critical experience that prepares them for college and careers in the arts.
Alumni of the program have gone on to become professional freelance artists, illustrators, game designers, college educators, fashion designers, cartoonists, architects, and more. Artwork sold during the exhibition will directly support the young artists’ creative futures. The Senior Project Exhibition offers the community a chance to celebrate the next generation of Hudson Valley artists and witness the powerful role arts education plays in shaping their paths.
If you go:
Senior Project Exhibition
Through January 10, 2026
Carole J. Wolf Gallery, 45 Pershing Avenue, Poughkeepsie, NY
Viewings by appointment, Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Contact: info@thearteffect.org
845-471-7477
