Jane Brown

Review of The Art Students League

"Big Box" old school, in a poorly maintained facil...

"Big Box" old school, in a poorly maintained facility.
More below, but first, two of the better art schools include
1. NY School of the Arts - recently opened. The space is lovely, student work is outstanding, and work environment is friendly;
2. NY Studio School - Exceptional classes, and their marathons are dynamic.

Back to "the League":
They rarely enforce basic health standards.
The place infested with mice, and the air quality is bad in some of the work areas. Silica dust floats around the sculpting area. People sand their clay sculptures without mask protection, never being told that Silica is an industrial health hazard.
Students scrape and heavily sand acrylic paint in crowded classrooms, without wearing respirators. (Acrylic paint is loaded with toxic chemicals. So everyone in the area breaths carcinogenic dust.)
Students file metals like copper, and rusted metal in small, under-ventilated classrooms, wearing no respirator.
Students use industrial sanders and wood grinders in a room with no door and half walls. Wood dust clouds drift into the locker areas, and adjacent classrooms. (Wood dust is carcinogenic).
Heavy sanding and cutting of particle board is permitted in the classrooms. Particle board contains formaldehyde, ammonia and other carcinogens.
Most students are in the dark that they are harming themselves and people around them. And the poor mice as well.