P aintings and photographs produced by fifteen talented high school students will be featured at The Arts Fund Gallery from May 19 through June 30. The students are participants in the organization's annual Arts Mentorship program. For the past few months the young artists have been working closely with master artists Nell Campbell, Pamela Larsson-Toscher, and Rafael Perea de la Cabada to produce a portfolio of work. The community is invited to celebrate the achievements of these talented young artists and commend the dedication of their instructors at a public opening on Thursday, May 18, from 5:30 - 7:30.

Participants in the Photography mentorship with artist Nell Campbell, are Kirra Bolsterli, Kate Cahill, Ulrika Lindell, Caitlin Snyder, and Lydia Witter. Pamela Larsson-Toscher led a mentorship teaching traditional old-master painting techniques with students Rebecca Brink, Claire Cordeiro, Mary Frances Knapp, Elena Shelton, and Laura Thompson. Artist Rafael Perea de la Cabada led a painting mentorship emphasizing expressive techniques and collaborative work methods with students Andrea Gaines, YuRhee Lee, Lauren May, Morgan Noble, Lauren Parsons, and Shirley Williams.

For over a decade, the Teen Arts Mentorship, under the sponsorship of The Arts Fund, has enabled Santa Barbara's brightest young artists to work with professional master artists in an intensive three-month workshop to produce portfolio-quality work and explore career opportunities in the arts. Primary funding for the 2006 Arts Mentorship comes from the Ann Jackson Family Foundation, the Towbes Foundation, and through the Organizational Development Grant Program using funds provided by the City of Santa Barbara in partnership with the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission.

A follow-up exhibition is planned for later in the year to present additional mentorship student work, include that of Santa Barbara students who working in assemblage and mixed-media mentorship with artist Ron Robertson and students from Guadalupe who are studying with printmaker Leonardo Nunez. Applications for the 2007 Art Teen Mentorship program will be available in the fall. Interested teenage artists (14-18), parents, and art instructors can contact The Arts Fund for more information.