The young artists of LEAP are given the building blocks of contemporary art practice. They become involved in a process-based, intensive exploration of materials, gaining experience in the artistic act of transformation, moving from sketchbook to final form, and developing their art vocabulary. In the fall and spring LEAP sessions, the students worked with local artists Sage Dawson and Meghan Grubb in printmaking and sculpture, respectively. Because LEAP meets in the CAM education studio adjacent to the galleries, students took advantage of direct access to exhibitions featuring the works of Jean-Michel Basquiat (fall 2018), to study his unique line quality, and the sculptures of Christine Corday (spring 2019), to consider the relationship between form and content. The results of their inquiries, both as individuals and as a collective, are seen in En Masse.

2019 LEAP participating artists: Penelope Andrews, Liza Baumstark, Alexa Bishop, Keteyian Cade, Emma Deaton, Saskia Dentman, Samiah Elmore, Jesse Heater, Amora Jones, Finn Kanak, Ivy Kanak, Fern Kanak, Montana Limper, Cozette Mothershead, Sanai Todd, Katherine Welch, and Angela Worthlin.

LEAP Middle School Initiative: En Masse is organized for the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis by José Garza, Museum Educator, and Sage Dawson and Meghan Grubb, LEAP teaching artists-in-residence.