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hvparent.com n Hudson Valley Parent 5 largest exporter of arts and entertainment in the world," says Poteet. Along with the United States' massive quantities of art exports, Poteet further states, "Every man-made object in the world, at some point, an artist sat down and drew." Support your artistic teen "There is so much involved with supporting an artistic teenager," says Lisa Aiello of Marbletown, whose daughter Olivia, 16, is a painter and photographer. Aiello and her husband, both artists themselves, are no strangers to the demands and challenges of pursuing art careers. They rely on their understanding and past experiences as creative types to help support their daughter as she heads down a similar journey of her own. Currently, Olivia has a full art studio in her bedroom. "My husband and I help critique her work, when she allows us to," Aiello explains. "There is a fine line between being supportive and pushing too hard," she adds. Of course, not all parents of artistic teens are artists themselves. JoAnn Solliday of Poughkeepsie, whose son Ben, 14, is a painter and sculptor, likens the nurturing of her son's passion for art to that of the typical 'sports parent.' By JILL VALENTINO F or teens who have an aptitude and passion for the arts, choosing a path to a successful future art career can be daunting. With so many options yet so little guarantee, parents of artistically inclined teens need to be a source of both support and guidance for their children. Go beyond the gallery Todd Poteet, director of visual arts at The Art Effect in Poughkeepsie, believes, "Many folks fail to understand what 'art jobs' actually are. People need to broaden their horizons as to just what exactly an art career could mean." Pigeonholing careers in art down to solely producing art, showing it in galleries and selling it to art collectors is a common misconception many folks make. Poteet says, "There are numerous careers that combine the intellectual and the creative. Some probably don't even exist yet." In fact, statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor show that there are currently more jobs available in art-related fields than in any other field in the country. Why? According to Poteet, the answer can be found within our culture. "America is the Just as an athletically gifted child would be given varying opportunities and experiences to further develop his aptitude for a particular sport, Solliday does the same for Ben. This includes transporting Ben to and from his art classes, paying for Ben's art class tuition, and purchasing his art materials. Solliday has also traveled long distances so that Ben could experience art opportunities out of the state. Plan for the future Although earning a college degree in art is not necessarily required for success in the field, many artistic teens choose to do so. Typical reasons include improving their overall skill set, networking opportunities and overall growth as an artist. The Art Effect offers similar services but for preschool through high school-aged students, with a focus on offering additional guidance for teen artists in addition to what their parents can currently provide. When discussing future options, many parents of artistic teenagers find it important to keep their child's passion for the arts in mind. Karissa Viglietta of Newburgh fiercely supports her daughter Plan for the future with your artistic teen Parents share how they support their creative children Lisa Aiello (not pictured) says her artistic background helps her understand the type of support her daughter needs on her own creative journey. (Continued on Page 7)