Anastasia Loza
The portraits were hung, the ceramics were set and the statues were posed as the candles flickered and Chinese lanterns swayed outside of the Pierce College Art Gallery, awaiting the arrival of young artists from across the Valley.
In honor of Youth Art Month, Pierce played host for the first time to a visual art exhibit showcasing the talents of local Valley teens on March 23 with scholarships to three art schools handed out to the best work.
The annual art show, organized for the past seven years by the Arts in Education Aid Council, has become so popular that it has grown to accommodate elementary, middle and high school students at public schools in the San Fernando Valley.
Student artists from 13 schools created artwork such as descriptive portraits with intricate details, graphic art with an assorted array of colors that pulled you in and a small-scaled yet lifelike paper mache dragon statue.
The young aspiring artists arrived with their families and smiles on their faces showing their pride in their achievements, making it easy to determine who the artist was in each group of small children and adults. The excitement was in the air as the young artists made the rounds and introduced themselves to each other.
Valley Alternative Magnet ninth grade students Angela Conte and Austin Carpenter’s piece of art was displayed at the front of the art gallery. The two girls took two wooden boards about five feet tall and did their own thing to each, only deciding in advance that the finished project would be a girl.
“We got the idea from something we did back in fifth grade. We just decided where we would sketch out the place of the head, arms and legs and then separated until we were finished,” said Conte.
The finished product turned out to be a unique piece in the art gallery that night, with Conte’s left side portraying a brunette in a red dress and Carpenter’s right side portraying a green haired warrior goddess.
The girls had only seen each other’s side once before their art was brought to the Gallery to be stood next to each other, unconnected.
Carpenter and Conte agreed that “it was pretty hard not to see each other’s half.”
“It was easy,” Carpenter said of the process of creating her side of the painted portrait. “I could have gotten it done in two days, but with school and homework, it took about a week.”
As students, parents and teachers roamed the art gallery to view each piece, a local teen band called The Flypaper Cartel played while food and drinks were being served in the courtyard.
AIEAC Executive Director Spike Dolomite Ward spoke in between the band’s two sets and notified the crowd that the band only played original songs.
The band’s originality and creativity was another testament to the artwork gathered there that night.
Awards were also a highlight of the night as eight scholarships were given to students for having the most excellent pieces.
Scholarships came from the Valley Art Institute in Los Angeles and the Saturday High at Art Center College of Design program in Pasadena.
Idyllwild Arts awarded the grand prize of the night to Jose Casco of San Fernando High School who received a full scholarship for two weeks at the art school in Idyllwild.
This mixed media sculptor titled “Hollywood,” displayed at friday’s art show, was created by Ally Olsen from John R. Wooden High School. (Ellen Soukup)