Young artists at heart

I think of my art as my voice. It's what I have to say about the world I live in, and it's about who I am and what I would like things to be.
— Faith Ringgold

Last week, we gathered on a chilly Miami evening at the historic YoungArts campus. 

Beginning with a tour of the 2026 National YoungArts Week exhibit in Design, Photography, and Visual Arts, we entered the space as neighbors bearing witness to a “day in the life of…” 

On the first floor of the Frank Gehry-designed YoungArts Gallery, charcoal drawings and photography by Kameirah Johnson and Jasmin Arreola offered windows into life at home and at rest. Paintings by Mara Popa and Jordyn Williams took us into subways and places of transit, while installations, sculptures, and two-dimensional works by artists including Nate Barcot and Jane Liou brought us right into bodegas, markets, restaurants, and back to the dinner table with those who matter most.

On the second floor, the exploration of interiority continued, but with a tender focus on the inner self, nature, and adornment. Photographers Christopher Barker, Isabel Bhatia, and Jericca Taste raised questions about legibility and masking, while Ryan Chou and Isabella Cho designed solutions around access and readability for visually impaired individuals.

Nature, mutualism, and healing were shared themes among several of the participating artists—all YoungArts award winners ages 15–18—experiencing and future-building a planet in crisis. Yet, the exhibition feels hopeful as they navigate the complexities of interiority with remarkable tenderness and maturity. Simple joys and anticipatory grief coexist. Somewhere between grounding in the present and creating the future, there’s an urgency to wrestle with the past—to be honest and attuned in our retelling.

It’s with this spirit that we transitioned from the Gallery to the iconic Jewel Box for figure drawing sessions with Raw Figs. Inspired by people at leisure and works in the exhibition, models posed as viewers became artists and creators in community.

Big love to Tito’s Handmade Vodka for supporting this program, and to our mixologists Rico and Angela for their creative cocktails.

Thank you to Zayra Campos, Nathalie Padro, Dave Adams, and the entire YoungArts team for making our night extra special. Brian Butler of Raw Figs is the host with the most, and Commissioner team members Gregory Pierre-Louis and Natalia Guzman make every experience better.

Finally, overwhelming gratitude to all the artists and members for co-creating this space of intimate reflection. The exhibition reminds us to hold on tight: Remember who we are and where we’re going.