Artists ages 5 to 15 accepted certificates of achievement at the Harlem Horizon Art Studio’s fifteenth annual reception held in February at Low Library. The event was held in the Rotunda where the children’s paintings were on display from February 1 through April 30.
The Harlem Horizon Art Studio program, co-sponsored by Columbia University’s Office of Government and Community Affairs and the Columbia University Affiliation Office at Harlem Hospital Center, is one of many run by the Harlem Hospital Injury Prevention Program (HHIPP). The art studio provides a nurturing and supportive environment for Harlem children to express themselves through painting, which allows them to develop confidence, poise, and self-esteem while learning about themselves.
This year’s reception highlighted many young artists, including Kimberly Singletary, a 15-year old Cathedral High School student. Singletary says that her painting, Squiggly Lines, is an example of the eclectic work motivated by her emotions. “Most people paint pictures of landscapes, or the sun. I paint just anything,” she adds. “That’s why each painting looks so different. I don’t have just one style.”
Singletary is among the 20 percent of children in central Harlem touched by HHIPP—a program that has reduced child injury in Harlem by 60 percent since 1988. Erik Cliette, director of HHIPP, invites members of the Columbia community to become involved. “The bottom line is that these kids work hard, they stay out of trouble, and they find solace in the work they do. We push them, we offer tutoring, and I wish that the Columbia family at large could be here to participate and see the children’s work.”
