Acclaimed Artist Gilbert Young Helps GEAR UP Students Paint A Brighter Future

Former Cincinnatian and internationally recognized artist Gilbert Young is working with 30 GEAR UP students from the Cincinnati Public Schools as they create a mural in a studio at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College. That work will be underway through Nov. 4. Young will also visit 16 Cincinnati Public Schools to conduct one-day workshops about teaching art and how the arts impact career opportunities.

A reception celebrating the young artists and the completion of the mural will be held at 4:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 5, in the Annie Laws Drawing Room at the University of Cincinnati’s Teachers College.

Originally from Cincinnati and now working in Atlanta, Gilbert Young had previously served as conservator of the UC fine arts collection for 25 years, joining the staff in 1968.
Young is a successful artist and arts entrepreneur who paints powerful themes of African American life. His most recognizable work, “He Ain’t Heavy” depicts a muscular man’s arm reaching down to lift up another man, presumably to help him to a higher level of achievement. His work resonates positively with themes of power, love, family and community. Young performed live on stage last summer with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. He began painting with the opening song and completed the work a few hours later as the orchestra reached its final crescendo. 

The local $2.2 million GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) works to increase achievement of higher education for students from challenging environments.  Cincinnati’s GEAR UP Success Partnership is a cooperative between the University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, Cincinnati Public Schools, Cincinnati Parents for Public Schools, Cincinnati Youth Collaborative, and HOPE worldwide-Ohio.

Students in the GEAR UP program come from 16 K-8 schools in the Cincinnati Public School system, with students attending up to 20 high schools. They work daily with GEAR UP Resource Coordinators to increase study skills, learn about educational opportunities and to develop the understanding that higher education is within their abilities. GEAR UP provides high school and college tours, educational support for families and subject-specific courses to improve CPS teachers’ qualifications, and enrichment activities such as the Gilbert Young visit and the arts career project. 

The piece created by the GEAR UP students will go on tour to each of the participating schools and will ultimately be installed on the University of Cincinnati’s West Campus. Students will use the six pillars of character in the CHARACTER COUNTS! Curriculum of the GEAR UP program as the themes for the mural, investigating how trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship show up in their own lives and how to teach these characteristics to others through art. 

One-day workshops will be held for the 16 GEAR UP schools.  Art-making workshops will allow a larger number of students to meet Young and to create art together to commemorate the event. Career workshops will teach students about the impact of artistic skill on a range of occupations and about the wealth of opportunities for careers in the arts.

Schools Participating in the Mural Creation:

• Bond Hill
• Clifton
• South Avondale
• McKinley
• Oyler
• Rockdale Academy
• Whittier
• Central Fairmount
• Douglas
• Heberle
• Hughes Center
• Parham
• Rothenberg Preparatory
• Washington Park
• Hays
• East End Heritage School
• Burton