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Unlike most academic institutions, the League is truly democratic and inclusive. If you desire to learn art, all you have to do is show up, go to your chosen class and be open to the artist-instructor's feedback. Students and artwork aren't graded in the usual way.  Curiosity, passion, and dedication – that’s what keeps our artists coming back to class every day. It is not unusual for students to attend classes here for many years and even decades.

The League's success with turning students into  professional artists is attested to not only by the roster of world-renown artists who have studied at the League, but also by the growing list of current students and recent alumni exhibiting throughout New York and the country—including in some of America's most prominent museums.

In the video above and the text below, current students describe what the League means to them. Please support these emerging artists by donating to the League's annual appeal.

Our Students

Damien, age 29, from Queens—After graduating from college, I got a job with a subcontractor for NASA making parts for the next Mars Rover prototype. At night I had only books and the internet to guide me on how to sculpt and didn’t get far because the job took a lot out of me. When NASA laid me off due to budget cuts, I found a job as a machinist. One day I walked into the League and observed Barney Hodes’s class and eventually joined.  This past January I was able to quit my machinist job because I now receive commissions and work as a technical instructor at the League. I was selected to participate in the Model to Monument program. If the League did not have low class fees and world renowned instructors, I might not have a career as a professional artist.

Sequoyah, age 29—Seiji Saito graduated from the same school I attended in Tokyo. My teacher, who knew Seiji, suggested that I meet him. When I came to the League, I knew I would be able to grow as an artist under his guidance. I am able to attend the League because of the low tuition, I won the McDowell Travel grant last year and studied art in seven countries, and I was chosen to participate in the Affordable Art Fair where my work was sold. I am learning to create sculpture for public spaces after being selected to participate in the Model to Monument program.

Beñat, age 32—An artist, Mikel Esparza, from my town of Pamplona, Spain studied at the League and returned to set up a studio to teach art. He studied with Harvey Dinnerstein, Mary Beth McKenzie, and Burt Silverman and recommended that I come to the League. Being here forces me to work every day. I like the structure and being around other artists who share the life. I won the Edward G. McDowell Travel Grant in 2008 and spent the summer traveling in Europe learning from the old masters and painting what I saw. My work is devoted to the mundane, depicting ordinary people and landscapes.

Rudy, age 32, from Queens—I was watching the movie Pollock and Jackson Pollock mentioned the League. I looked it up, came to the door and walked away. I was intimidated because I thought it was only for artists—not for me. I had never taken an art class. Nine years later with the support of my family, I quit my teaching job, walked into the League and within 10 minutes I was in Cenedella’s class. Now I’m in Mary Beth McKenzie’s class and building on the progress gained in my other class. I’ve developed lasting friendships with artists. The League feels like home.

Donat—I’m 22 and I’m from Switzerland. I don’t have any degrees and just arrived at the League in September from Studio Escalier in France. I’ve always known about the League and that it is the place that will give me a longer time to study sculpture. It is the school of professional artists.

Dana—I’m from Richmond, Virginia. I came to New York to go to the School of Visual Arts for an MFA. The first year I got disillusioned because it felt like everyone in New York was an artist. I took a year off and worked for Greg Wyatt at St. John the Divine Cathedral as his maintenance man so I realized that I wanted to finish my MFA. One day I came to the League and saw Barney Hodes’s class, life-size sculptures, and that blew my head off. I realized that after earning an AA, BFA, and MFA I had never studied drawing, or painting or sculpture in a traditional way. I realized that I needed to put myself back in school to learn to sculpt and draw. I started drawing with Michael Burban for a year and studied sculpture with Barney Hodes five nights a week. I’ve been here 12 years as a student and eight years as technical instructor. I love the concept of the school: no grades, no degrees, and the people are here because they want to be. I love the international flair, the New York vibe, the wide variety of intelligent people, some people leave and more come in.

Haksul, age 37, from Korea—When my parents died, they left me money to come to New York to learn English and continue my art studies. I had been here a couple of years and was running out of money when a student at the language school told me about the League.The freedom to choose and the quality of instruction has helped me win five or six red dots in the Concours, I was selected to exhibit in the Affordable Art Fair, and I have been selected to participate in the Model to Monument program to create a sculpture in a New York City public park. Because of the League, I’m able to support myself with commissions and I became one of the welding technical instructors.

Student from Greece—I applied to CUNY and got rejected because I made a mistake on a financial form. I was depressed because it would be a year before I could re-apply. A man who was on holiday in my town said it was a good thing that I made the mistake. He said fate was kind to me because the best school is the Art Students League and it’s very famous. I sent my portfolio to Sandra, the International Student Advisor, and she helped me get in. It’s affordable. I don’t know how I could cope at another school because it would cost $50,000 a year. This year my work will be in the Grant Winners Exhibition.