Secondary students from the Vernon school district are about to show off their artistic talents in the annual exhibition, Art and Soul, at the Vernon Public Art Gallery.
With all the bells and whistles of a large-scale exhibition, including the right lighting, an opening reception, and plenty of community buzz, young artists get a taste of what it’s like to show their work to the public, often for the first time, said VPAG executive director Dauna Kennedy Grant.
“Art and Soul is the next step from our elementary school show, Art From the Heart,” she said. “It’s always exciting to see the development of creativity in these students and how their artwork expresses that. I encourage you to come out to our opening reception and join us in celebrating the accomplishment of these young emerging artists.”
Works in the secondary school exhibition are displayed alongside exhibits by professional and emerging artists.
“For students thinking about post-secondary education in the arts, showing next to established artists is an inspiration and a motivator to continue developing their own artistic styles while still in high school,” said Kennedy Grant. “Each year the diversity of mediums and subject matters, and the inclusion of some work intended for university applications, creates a unique and varied exhibition of strong student artwork.”
Art and Soul is open for viewing Thursday, with an opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. The artwork will fill the walls of the Caroline Galbraith, Community and Up-Front Galleries and runs concurrently with Scott Waters’ The Keeper of Nothingness until May 22.
The VPAG is open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
