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About AEA

Artful Edge Academy provides individualized portfolio mentorship for students applying to specialized arts high schools and BFA programs in New York. AEA offers in-person classes or virtual instruction for Young Artists and Adults.

Students receive one-on-one guidance tailored to their interests, skill level, and target schools. Projects are customized to meet specific portfolio requirements while supporting creative development and learning goals. AEA works exclusively with visual arts and design portfolios and supports students at all experience levels. Instruction includes professional documentation of artwork, portfolio presentation, interview preparation, and application guidance.

Our program supports artistic development and prepares students for the competitive admissions process. Students build technical skills, creative confidence, and professional portfolios aligned with what schools are looking for.

Located at 1000 Dean St in Crown Heights, Brooklyn

AEA excels in supporting students of all skill levels and provides application guidance and pathways towards future careers in the arts. We work with students at all stages of their careers, from emerging artists to established artists who may be seeking new skills or approaches to their creative work.

AEA’s Young Artist Programs:

Provide expert art instruction within a professional art studio environment. Where students can explore their creative potential, work with new materials, and develop their practice with clarity, structure, and purpose.

My approach is shaped by over twenty-five years of experience in art and design education, as well as my ongoing work as a practicing artist and professor at Pratt Institute. My goal as a teacher is to support sustained artistic growth, strengthen confidence, and help each student develop a focused and intentional body of work. My pedagogical practice is informed by academic research and grounded in over 25 years of classroom experience. I approach teaching with empathy, curiosity, kindness, and respect for each student’s creative process, and I am committed to helping students build strong portfolios and lasting creative confidence.

AEA provides access to high-quality art and design education classes for underserved students and aspiring students within New York. Our work responds to a current gap in art education within NYC public schools, where many students do not receive consistent arts instruction or help with portfolio preparation. We support families who may need additional guidance on building a successful portfolio needed to apply to arts-focused schools.

AEA’s adult education and professional development classes:

Are designed for artists, educators, and creative professionals who want to deepen their practice, expand technical skills, and strengthen their creative direction.

Instruction is individualized, with an emphasis on both technical development and conceptual clarity. Sessions include portfolio development, critique, material exploration, and support in developing a consistent studio practice.

For educators, I also offer curriculum support and strategies for integrating contemporary studio approaches into the classroom.

Your Instructor

Hi! My name is Michelle Hinebrook. I am a professional artist and art educator with over twenty-five years of experience in art and design education. I received my MFA in Painting from Cranbrook Academy of Art, and a BFA in Design from the College for Creative Studies, and I am currently an Associate Professor at Pratt Institute, as well as a teaching artist with Young Audiences New York and UrbanGlass.

The AEA curriculum is aligned with the New York City Blueprint for Teaching and Learning in the Arts and informed by my background in art history. I have extensive experience as a teaching artist and curriculum developer for NYC public schools and higher education institutions. I regularly serve on portfolio review committees for art and design institutions and as a juror for visual arts competitions.

My motivation to teach and mentor young artists comes directly from my experience as a young creative person. I did not have an arts program at my school, and I did not have the tools, skills, or guidance I needed to understand how to become an artist. I taught myself how to draw and built my art portfolio without formal instruction. These early experiences shaped me as an artist and later became the foundation of my motivation to become an educator. They continue to inform my commitment to helping young artists develop both technical and conceptual skills within a supportive environment.

Our Services

Portfolio Development

We help students create, refine, and present cohesive bodies of work that reflect their personal vision and meet the standards of competitive art and design programs. Through mentorship and critique, students build portfolios that are technically and conceptually strong.

Creative Coaching and Mentoring

Through coaching, students gain clarity and confidence in their artistic direction. We help them articulate their journey through writing, interviews, and portfolio presentations.

Through AEA’s Art Experiences Program, students have opportunities to connect with NYC-based professional artists, designers, and educators for portfolio reviews.

Application Strategy and Materials

We help students and families develop a targeted school list based on their interests. We assist with assembling application materials, refining writing, photographing artwork, and filming video interviews that highlight each student’s individuality and creative vision.

In-School Portfolio Workshops

Portfolio-focused workshops are offered free of charge to NYC public middle and high schools . Workshops support existing classroom art instruction and help develop students' existing portfolios.

Teacher Workshops and Curriculum Support

Workshops and resources are available for public school art teachers through AEA. These materials are focused on portfolio development, admissions requirements, and classroom strategies.

Parent Workshops and Free Consultations

Virtual portfolio workshops are offered to help parents better understand how to support their child through the application process, portfolio expectations, and ways families can support students at home. Free 15 min consultations are available on request.

Adult Education Classes

We offer advanced - beginner classes in Painting, Drawing, Design, Color Theory, Glass, Digital Media, Photography, and Sculpture.