WILLIAMSBURG — Over 100 local high school students’ artwork is being showcased at the Williamsburg Contemporary Art Center (WCAC).
On display are 124 pieces of art created by 106 students featured in the Main and Middle galleries at the WCAC, located at 110 Westover Ave., as a part of its 20th Annual High School Student Art Show.
“Normally this [event] is in January,” said WCAC Program Chair Karen Schwartz in an interview with WYDaily. “The way they changed the scheduling, the students weren’t necessarily ready until the end of the springtime.”
This year, the show was in-person. There was no set theme that the students had to follow in order to submission, which allowed for the students to stretch their creative visions.
“This year we’ve received a lot more digital artwork,” Schwartz added. “It’s the artwork that students are producing throughout the term and throughout the school year. So they’re choosing their best examples of whatever type of artwork they’ve worked on. A lot of them maybe will have the same assignment in the same medium but they’re doing their own interpretation of it.”
Some of the mediums that the young artists worked in include photography, sculpting, painting, and digital artwork.
The show was judged by Joan Bevelaqua, an award-winning oil and watercolor painter that works in Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Bevelaqua also serves as an adjunct professor at University of Maryland University College, Howard Community College and Prince George’s Community College (both in Md.).
“I praise your achievements here, and I want you to acknowledge your art teachers. They’ve guided you to see the world deeply and to think differently,” Belevelaqua said during the show.
Belevaqua was critiquing each work based on the artist’s understanding of the following art fundamentals: shape, edge, measurement, light, and space. She was also looking for the mastery of a chosen medium. Lastly, she judged the artist’s intent for the piece.
“Intent of the artist plays a major role in how the viewer perceives that artwork,” said Belevaqua. “What did the artist mean? What were they trying to convey?”
The Top Honors and cash wards went to:
- Olivia Gifford of Jamestown H.S. (1st)
- Madison George of Lafayette H.S. (2nd)
- Haley Anise James, homeschooled (3rd)
A total of eight students received merit awards, and 15 were awarded with honorable mentions.
The WCAC High School Art Show runs until May 20. WCAC is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.
For more information please visit WCAC’s official website.
