The Pelham Art Center’s Teen Artist Council hosted a virtual lecture with comic book artist Laurenn McCubbin, who has been working in the craft since 2002 and has drawn for Marvel Comics Dark Horse and Last Gasp.
She is an associate professor at Columbus College of Art and Design, teaching classes in comics since 2013. She answered questions and even took the time to give everyone thoughtful recommendations for comics once they told her their likes and dislikes.
“If you want to draw comics, you have to draw comics,” said McCubbin. “You have to draw all the time. And you have to draw everything,”
The Feb. 8 event was not the first for the Teen Artist Council, which is made up of teens from Pelham and neighboring towns. The council grants opportunities for internships and education to aspiring young artists.
“I wanted to be an intern because the art center has provided me with many different experiences in art through various art classes I’ve taken over the years,” said Sydney Paulose, a junior at Pelham Memorial High School. “I’ve been exposed to a multitude of mediums from clay to Photoshop through the art center, and I’m happy to be behind the scenes now,”
“My favorite part is learning about the inner workings of curating an exhibit,” she said. “Coming up with a theme and the exhibit name, and then spreading the word about an upcoming teen-designed exhibit has been a great experience. My best experience has been working with kids at one of the Pelham Art Center’s workshops. I loved seeing kids have fun with being creative and helping them out.”
Paulose said she recommends the program because she has learned valuable lessons.
“I’ve learned how to advertise for certain events and programs in order to gain traction and popularity among the community,” Paulose said. “I’ve also learned to work alongside other interns to write blogs, descriptions and even rejection or acceptance emails. Organizational and customer service skills were also needed to stay on top of things at the art center. I would definitely recommend being an intern at the Pelham Art Center. The staff is very welcoming and friendly, and everyone feels like a team. That aspect combined with everything that you learn there provides a valuable experience.”
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