SCIOTO COUNTY— Local artists are, once again, getting the opportunity to showcase what they’ve learned in class this year during the annual “Visually Literate” High School Art Exhibition, which is currently on display in the Appleton Gallery at Shawnee State University.

Each year, local high schools are permitted to submit up to 15 pieces to be considered for the show.

“I believe it’s very important! This show provides an opportunity for young artists to experience what it’s like to have their work exhibited in front of an audience and potentially receive feedback from people outside their own school setting,” Southern Central Ohio Education Center’s Sharee Price said. “When students see the show, they are often inspired by the artwork other students their own age have created. It might motivate them to try a new technique or encourage them to be more self-expressive in their approach to their own artwork. Since this is a juried show, it also gives the students a sense of pride in being recognized for their artistic talents.”

This year, submissions were reviewed by Judge Darren Baker, Executive Director of the Ross County Historical Society and former professor of art at Ohio University. After a challenging review, 50 pieces of work were accepted, including both 2D and 3D.

Artwork was submitted by students from Clay, Green, Minford, New Boston, Northwest, Oak Hill, Portsmouth, South Webster, Valley, and Wheelersburg school districts. There are seven categories, including black and white drawing, color drawing, painting, sculpture, mixed media, ceramics/utilitarian, and graphic arts.

“This show includes an eclectic collection of artworks,” Price said. “There are ten different school districts represented in the exhibition, so you’re seeing quite a wide variety of styles, media, and techniques used to create the work. Each piece of work has an artist’s statement displayed beside it, which can sometimes give the viewer an added layer of meaning when they look at the work. I think the show speaks highly of our art teachers who work so hard at guiding the students through the creative process.”

The show will be on exhibit in the Appleton Gallery and is open to the public from May 1 through May 14, during normal business hours. The Closing Reception is free and open to the public and will be held on Tuesday, May 14, in the lobby of the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts starting at 5:30 p.m.

The Portsmouth High School Jazz Band will be performing in the lobby while guests view the artwork in the Appleton Gallery. Light refreshments will be provided, and admission is free to the public.

There will also be a display and video featuring the portraits that were created for this year’s Memory Project. The Awards Ceremony will begin at 6 p.m. Students who participated in The Memory Project this year will also be recognized during the reception and awards for the Visually Literate Show will be announced.

“Art exhibitions are tools for artists and allow them to get their work out of the studio and in front of an audience who can appreciate it. It offers artists a way to share their ideas and to connect with people,” Price said. “Being included in an exhibition helps students build confidence in their artistic abilities. The Appleton Gallery provides a professional setting for students’ work to be displayed and allows the students to see their work alongside some of the best young artists in Scioto County.”

Reach Joseph Pratt at (740) 353-3101, by email at [email protected], © 2024 Portsmouth Daily Times, all rights reserved.