Here, Jami Taback, a Kew Gardens Hills-based artist who gave up 30 years in the business of leading museum and gallery tours to share her expertise with young people, has been instructing James and several of his classmates in the history and techniques of printmaking. - New York Newsday, November 17, 2008

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Hailed recently by both New York Newsday and the Queens Ledger, Jami Taback’s acclaimed art making program for children began in 2004. An art historian and fine artist, Jami Taback, began working with the most vulnerable and at risk children ranging from ages 6 to 21.  Creating a dynamic and flexible model for teaching art to children, Taback visits alternative, public and private schools using art to establish meaningful connections with children. The activity of making art with her serves to gain their interest, involvement and trust.  Taback is able to draw on the skills born out of her private art history lecturing service, Talk Art, Inc. which she founded and operated for over 30 years.  And perhaps more importantly, she also uses her creative talent and sensitivity as a master print maker and painter to forge these connections.  To date, she has taught and interacted with over 200 children in the last 4 years.  “As long as they can hold an instrument and express themselves, they’re perfect,” says Taback. - Queens Ledger, October 16, 2008

With over 40 one person and group exhibitions to her credit, Jami Taback is able to speak to and teach art to these young people centered around what is most important in their world. Taback changes the content of the course offered based on what she perceives and understands are most important to the individual children.  She lets them be creative; which keeps them engaged.  Her mission is to bring art to as many at risk youths as she can connect with.  This model is dynamic, flexible, and process oriented.  Taback is able to reach and work with many constituencies and hopes to keep replicating this important program with other children.  “Sometimes it’s just to engage the kids in something creative, to think about things differently, to meet an artist, but sometimes it sparks an interest and they find out that they’re an artist too,” says Taback. - New York Newsday, November 17, 2008

Most recently at Woodward, a quasi semiprivate school for challenged youth on Long Island, Taback has taught printmaking in her class in such a way that they can experiment but yet feel safe in that they really cannot fail to make something expressive.  “Jami’s work has had a profound effect on our kids. This project has helped raise the self-esteem of our students, and raised their awareness of art as a fun and worthwhile pastime.” -Paul Lomtevas Director, Woodward Children's Center

Everything being created under Taback's direction gives the feeling of fireworks going off, a subject and symbol she explored for several years in her own art. "Fireworks are so uplifting, and something these kids already are familiar with," says Taback, whose pieces are currently at the Broome Street Gallery in SoHo. "It's a place to put their frustrations and their anger, and their joy." – New York Newsday, November, 17, 2008

Jami Taback is an artist who produces her artwork through a unique process of creative collaboration with inner city youths. Creating a dynamic and flexible model for teaching art to children, she visits alternative, public and private schools using art to establish meaningful connections with children. The activity of making art with her serves to gain their interest, involvement and trust.  Taback is able to draw on the skills born out of her private art history lecturing service, Talk Art, Inc. which she founded and operated for over 30 years.  And perhaps more importantly, she also uses her creative talent and sensitivity as a master printmaker and painter to forge these connections.

To date, she has taught and interacted with over 200 children in the last 4 years. Taback’s program is based on an intensive mentoring relationship with youth, particularly those with behavioral problems and special education needs. Through learning about the art of Printmaking and its history rooted in ancient civilization as a tool for communication, students immerse themselves for a school term-year involvement in the arts and education. A printmaking studio with a portable table press is set up at the school for the duration of the project where the youth visit for several hours each week to learn about and produce their own work which is then incorporated into a museum quality mural, a public installation at their school. Field trips to museums further enhance the art experience. Generous donations and discounts on art supplies cover a portion of the expenses.

The children, who often come from schools that have drastically, if not altogether cut, their art programs, enjoy profound benefits from her services. Sometimes, it’s just to engage the kids in something creative, to think about things differently, to meet an artist, but sometimes it sparks an interest, and they find out that they are an artist too.

"With the introduction of a few rules about the process, they are instantly caught up with preparing the plates-in a rush to be the first to the printing press to execute their creation. They are in a race, which seems to revolve around an enormous amount of time playing video games. In my presence, the children become the video game, on a hero’s journey, ultimately to slay all the beasts that are in the way. They need to produce the best print possible, insuring its inclusion into the mural, and move to the next level of the game. It has occurred to me that kids are natural born program developers and that I am guiding the overall vision they are producing. This work affirms that from the darkest hours of our worst nightmares the creative spirit is indomitable and will not be extinguished."