Ann Arbor, Mich., February 3, 2014 – Twenty five artistic teens will learn how to bring imagination to life when Calty Design Research, Inc. opens the doors to its design process for The Neutral Zone’s Art4Life Program on February 27. Calty, the North American arm of Toyota's global design network, will host design and sculpting workshops as part of an intensive professional development opportunity intended to give teens a winning advantage in pursuing an art career after high school.

“I want to understand the steps that turn an idea into something real,” says Myles, a student at Ypsilanti New Tech High School who’s attending the workshop. “I’m also interested in finding out where the designers went to school and how they got their jobs.” 

Calty Senior Creative Designers Robert Hunwick and Adam Rabinowitz will lead the workshop on basic design concepts and product sketching, in addition to an open discussion on career in the arts. The sculptural workshop will focus on sketch to model design, tools and techniques and a clay modeling exercise.

“We find it very important to foster creativity and a passion for design at an early age to encourage a future career in the arts,” says Kevin Hunter, president of Calty. “Neutral Zone is the perfect partner to help teens in need of a little guidance into the field of art and design.”

“Toyota and Calty Design Research have dedicated their talent and resources to better support youth in our community to more positively recognize and develop their own creativity, innovation, and leadership capacities,” says Lori Roddy, Associate Executive Director of Neutral Zone.    

Toyota Technical Center and Calty Design Research have had a long-standing partnership with Neutral Zone. Past projects include funding for Green Group’s environmental initiative, Building Bridges which supports sustained conversations between youth from Detroit and Ann Arbor and renovation of the Visual Arts Studio.