By Marilyn Delk |
The Anna Bier Gallery located within Henry St. Clair Memorial Hall regularly hosts art shows filled by delightful and often thought-provoking images by accomplished professional artists. The current impressive work displayed in the gallery is different however, at least in one aspect; each piece you see was not created by someone making a living as an artist, but by a local student working on assignment in his or her classroom under the tutelage of an art teacher. What follows is a peek into some of the wonders currently on display at the Anna Bier Gallery.
One of the first colorful images to catch my eye was created by Matt Baker, of Greenville High School, who painted a pair of colorful shoes that generate verve and personality. Kennedy Rose of Arcanum creates an entirely different vibe with her sweet rendering of a faithful dog looking out to sea, while June Cook has painted a sturdy lighthouse standing between threatening sky and sea. Bradford student Jasmine Brown’s somewhat Pointillistic black swan filled with black, brown, and white swirls somehow gives the impression of being quite colorful; Ansonia student Sarah Zerkle’s rendering of koi swimming in a speckled pool of water leaves no doubt that the fish are vividly hued.
Sparkling color fills Greenville student Adele Strunk’s striking stained glass piece in which a golden castle sits on a mountaintop underneath a moon-filled sky of blue. In stark contrast to the bright colors on display, a black and white scratchboard rendering of Medusa by Jocelyn Reier of Greenville offers a fascinatingly detailed close look at the Greek Gorgon. An unusual medium, tempera on cardboard, was utilized by Greenville’s Cayll Lester, who created a three-dimensional picture of a mountain lake. Mississinawa Valley’s Caylin Monticue created a lovely snow scene that somehow generates warmth in spite of its frigid subject matter.
Greenville student Charlie Pope’s colorful drawing of a bikini-clad female form displays interesting angles and subtle colors; F-M’s Kevin Huang’s self-portrait done in pencil gives the viewer an impressive close-up look at the young man. A fascinating and lovely piece demanding study drawn by Greenville student Laura Wills is dominated by the word Introspection. Franklin-Monroe student Sami Stull’s rendering of a contemplative teen-age girl demands contemplating, as does a striking portrait of a brooding Jake Gyllenhaal drawn by Rebekah Burch of Greenville.
Photography is also featured at the student exhibit; among the several excellent images captured are a closeup of a fence post encircled by barbed wire taken by Mississinawa Valley student Hunter Cox, as well as picture from Maia Wisner, also of MV, of a majestic hawk with its wings spread wide. Franklin-Monroe’s Wesley Blackburn’s photo of a tarantula is, like the creature itself, both terrifying and mesmerizing; the same artist’s picture of a fireman battling a blaze is also fascinating and scary, while realistically capturing breaking news.
A beguiling three-dimensional work by Addison Meade from Tri-Village shows two intertwined hands—one black, one white– within a frame of faces decorated with fake black-eyed-susans. Other 3-D pieces include an adorable ceramic pig by Mississinawa’s Kiki Marcum and another adorable pig—this one in papier-mâché—by Franklin-Monroe’s Lillie Heck; a completely different aura is evoked in a totally different papier-mâché piece by F-M’s Kevin Huang —a truly creepy spider.
A dramatic ceramic joker face mask by Lauren Prenger of Versailles sparkles with gold glitter, while a lovely blue ceramic vessel by F-M’s Regan Flora is decorated with charming octopuses. F-M student Trey Wilson crafted a lovely pastel ceramic vessel sporting curlicues, as well as a gracefully-shaped vase in a peaceful shade of blue.
Artist Debby Gregory of St. Marys judged the High School Art Show entries, and was incredibly impressed by their high quality and creativity; Anna Bier Gallery Director Jennifer Overholser also found this year’s entries to be exceptional. The work will be on view from 6 to 7 p.m. prior to Darke County Center for the Arts presentation of the Toledo Jazz Orchestra on Saturday, May 10, as well as at the show’s intermission. There is no charge for admission to the Anna Bier Gallery.