The Making of an Artist Profile: Monica Shulman Through Young Eyes
Last month, young journalists enrolled in Story Salon’s Newspaper Club visited the American contemporary artist Monica Shulman in her studio and created a profile piece for The Little Dispatch. Follow along on their journey from assignment to publication!
The Research Process
Who is Monica? What does she create? What inspires her? How does she get to do this as her job? Research came first. Guided by Educator Emily Erwin-McGuire, students explored Monica's website and social media, discovering her transition from law to art.
With this foundation, they took notes and crafted questions designed to reveal not just artist techniques, but the person behind the paintings:
Studio Visit Day
The journalistic process is enriched by going to where stories happen and speaking directly with our sources. As our Newspaper Club students entered Monica’s bright, paint-splattered workspace, the students' eyes widened at the vibrant canvases covering the walls. The lead interviewers took their positions while others prepared to document the experience through photography and sketches.
Monica shared her journey candidly: "I decided to become an artist kind of by accident," she told them. "I was doing other things... and I realized that I was pretty unhappy." When she revealed her return to art began with an impulse purchase of art supplies while buying a child's birthday gift, students noted this serendipitous detail for their article.
Monica's insights on inspiration ("I'm very inspired by nature") and pursuing creative passions ("I really kind of made this up as I went along. I didn't have a guidebook") resonated deeply with our young reporters.
From Interview to Article
Back in the classroom, students studied published articles to understand effective structures of profile pieces.
Each student then wrote an opening paragraph with our young audience in mind: Who is Monica Shulman, and why should our readers care about her now?
This exercise helped them identify the most compelling aspects of Monica's story. Two students took the lead on drafting the full article, while others contributed additional details, edited suggestions, and created artwork inspired by Monica's abstract style. This collaborative approach mirrors the real-world process of creating a newspaper, where many hands contribute to the final product.
The Published Profile
Finally — pub day! The finished profile, "Monica Shulman's Colorful World," appeared as a full-page spread in the May edition of the Little Dispatch.
The article captured Monica's journey from teenage painter to lawyer to professional artist, highlighted her creative process, and shared her inspiring message for young creators: "Anyone is able to do anything that they want to do, if they really work hard enough, and if they really pursue their interest."
Accompanying the article are photographs taken by our student photographer…
… and collaborative artwork created by the entire Little Dispatch team, inspired by Monica's abstract style.
Learning Through Doing
The process of writing a feature story with a focus on an accomplished person in our community represents exactly what we value at Story Salon: giving young journalists the skills and confidence to tell meaningful stories. Through this project, students learned to research effectively, ask thoughtful questions, collaborate as a team, and craft a compelling narrative.
More importantly, they experienced firsthand how journalism connects people and communities. Monica shared her artistic journey with our students, and they in turn shared it with our readers, creating a beautiful cycle of storytelling and connection.
Artist studio images courtesy of © Arielle Joffe Photography
This article documents the process behind our recent artist profile on Monica Shulman published in the Little Dispatch, a monthly section of the Rivertowns Dispatch written by kids, for kids.
You can learn more about Monica Shulman here.
Read the transcript of the full interview conducted by Story Salon’s Newspaper Club students here:
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