Teen center The Neutral Zone has a brand new art studio. The old one was gutted and remodeled thanks to a $20,000 donation from Toyota and Calty Design Research and support from local businesses.

Teens in the Neutral Zone’s Visual Arts Council (VAC) made a lot of the remodeling decisions based on how they wanted the new studio to look and function. Now that renovations are completed, they are enjoying the openness of the space, and the new furniture, flooring, cabinets, and a sink.

“One of the main types of businesses we worked with were architecture and design firms (EVIEW360 and Hobbs & Black Architects). They helped us lay out the space the way it is now. They helped us to realize our intention to have a space we could move around in, having lots of light to draw, adding an alcove where we have our computers. We consistently gave them ideas and they gave us feedback about what would work,” explains Joseph Kardia, a junior at Skyline High School.

Community High School senior Sonny Spears likes having new tables and drafting tables to work on. “With more surfaces, you can work around the room a lot more. I’ve been hanging out and drawing with people here, which is a nice environment when you’re an artist,” he says.

The previous art studio “wasn’t this organized,” Community High School senior Kylah Thomas says. “Finding art supplies was like digging for treasure sometimes. All of the new cabinet space in here will help us keep this place organized,” she says.

The teens are planning to hang artwork in the large window of the art studio, which faces Washington Street. “We have these boards that are going to hang in the windows that will be lit from the below and above. We’ll be able to hang our own art there. We’ll see some of it from the inside for reference and inspiration, and then people will be able to see it from the outside,” Kardia explains.

“This room isn’t just for artists,” says Robert Stephens, a sophomore from Community High School. “I can’t draw, but I’m a dancer. I can come into this art room and be with this community of artists. This is a great place to hang out for all types of artists,” he says.

Aside from funding from Toyota and Calty Design Research, a number of local businesses donated to the project; supporters include Hobbs & Black Architects, EVIEW360, Masco, Dan Cameron Foundation, Carpenterguy, Busy Bee Plumbing, Joe Cruz Electrical, and Anderson Paint.

“There are a lot of people who have been generous, and who help the Neutral Zone out throughout the year. So, the teens are connected to a big network of people that donated. When it was time to do this, we had a large group of people we could call to assist us, from architects, to furniture, to construction,” explains Trevor Stone, the Neutral Zone art coordinator.

The teens will show off the new space and their own art at “Open Season,” a grand opening celebration, today (Sept. 21) beginning at 5 p.m.

At the opening; “Someone from Toyota is going to do an art demonstration where they are going to sculpt mini models of cars, and people can go up and sculpt one out of clay,” explains Sophia Ketchum-Goulding, a junior at Community High School.

Representatives from Gallery Project and Washington Street Gallery will be there to award a few of the exhibiting teen artists with award prizes, and recruiters from U-M, EMU, and WCC will award hundreds of dollars in tuition to teens who apply to the universities’ art schools.

“For this show we are celebrating the opening of the new room by exhibiting artworks we’ve made. We can show people that the teens who come here to work take art seriously. For some people, this is where our careers are being molded. We’re going to put some of our best artworks in the show,” Thomas explains.