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Student Artists at the CFA

by Cate Murway

The Bristol Borough Centre for the Arts was voted the Best Art Gallery in Bucks in both 2016 & 2017. The CFA expertly promotes the development of professional and student artists while serving as an educational resource for the entire community. Exposure to art education promotes self-directed learning, improves school attendance and sharpens critical and creative skills. Arts can improve motivation, concentration, confidence, and teamwork.

The latest juried High School Art Exhibit "Emergence II", co-sponsored by the Arts & Cultural Council of Bucks County welcomed over 50 beautiful, thought-provoking, intelligent works by the incredibly talented local and area high school students. The schools participating included Villa Joseph Marie, Harry S. Truman, Neshaminy, Holy Ghost Prep, Nazareth Academy and Bristol High School.

The "Emergence II" Opening reception was rescheduled to March 18th [sNOw kidding] and the students’ exhibit will remain on display in the CFA Gallery on Mill Street through April 2nd.

A must see for all patrons of the arts!

Villa Joseph Marie Fine Arts Department Chair/ Art Teacher, Ellen Brooks encourages her students to present their artwork and see the work of others in a professional setting. The VJM Art Department actively works to enhance student learning and enrich the cultural landscape by presenting to students as many styles and concepts as possible because Art is about communicating. For an emerging artist, there’s so much more to get from showing one’s art than just creating it. There are numerous lessons that art classes can provide to students that other classics, like typical mathematics and science courses, cannot, benefits which can't be easily quantified through test scores.

“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” Albert Einstein

Each piece of artwork has its own story as imagination is one of the highest forms of research.

Cross country/track athlete Elizabeth Ann “Lily” Dineen, VJM ’20 proves that she literally RUNS the extent from impressive starts to incredible arts!

“I chose to illustrate time and drew a girl walking who in a way represents me. In the background the crowd is all in motion utilizing soft blurs. The real focus is the clock. Time doesn’t stand in your way.”

Her parents appreciated the CFA ambiance. “This is such a cool place.”

VJM Seniors, Maya Louise Taylor, Alexandra Constance Both, who is considering Ithaca College; Alexa Lynn Bannon who has committed to LaSalle University to major in Psychology and then pursue Dentistry, and Anne Marie Solley who plans on pursuing animation studies at Drexel University, also provided art pieces for this exhibition. “I would love to become an animator and work in the entertainment industry.”

Anne’s AP Art Portfolio acrylic paint, ‘5 stages of grief’, evoking a particularly strong emotion, was completed in her Drawing & Painting I class in “blue and purple; they are cool colors and give the viewer a subdued and mellow feeling. Everyone wants to be happy but we can’t forget that we need to go through the good and bad.”

Her work was influenced by Wassily Wassilyevich Kandinsky [1866-1944], a Russian painter and art theorist who has been credited with painting one of the first recognized purely abstract works. “I am really proud of that painting. My first in acrylic!”

Ten HGP student artists have their work displayed at the "Emergence II" art show. Aiden Schmidt, Jeffrey DeFrancesco, Chris Corr, Graham Gibbs, Thomas Forkin, Owen Yake, Jake Lawall, Austin Moran, Richard Johnson and Patrick Oniate.

Austin Moran was awarded “Best of Show” for his Savannah, GA, Summer ’17, an outstanding individual oil on canvas art piece.

The students submitted various types of original artwork including linoleum prints. HGP Art instructor Mrs. Karen Smallen shared, “Linoleum prints are the same idea as a woodcut. The students are all the provinces of their own images.”

Senior Richard William “Ricky” Johnson, III is considering among Villanova University, Saint Joseph's University, and Loyola University Maryland to further his education. “I got this great picture in Venice this summer so I thought it would be great to use.” His intricate linoleum art was gold printed on black. “It took about 1 ½ months to complete it. Of all the types of art I have done, this is my favorite to do.”

Junior Thomas Patrick Forkin’s etched linoleum print started with a photograph image of a lawn chair that he had captured. The ‘Battleship grey linoleum’ allows the artist to create finely-detailed prints using an unpredictable and exciting technique. “It took awhile. I enjoy art. It is fun and relaxes me.”

“This world is but a canvas to our imagination.” Henry David Thoreau

Borough resident, Erica Jennifer Ruszin, BHS ’18 is debating between Rider University and Penn State

to major in Art Mythology or History Mythology. Her painting, ‘Nublar, The Queen of Jurassic World’ was crafted with acrylics on a canvas base. “I used a model picture but changed the colors.”

Nazareth Academy senior artists Maggie Arnold, Jacquelyn Keddie, and Perri Schlosser, and juniors Sarah Breece, Samantha Bramble, and Abigail Cramer were all recognized at the show.

Neshaminy HS senior, Jessica Elizabeth Souder will be attending BCCC to earn a Business degree. Her favorite medium is oil painting. Jess explained her artwork, “I am fascinated with the idea of life and death in general, just the ‘unknowingness’ of what it is and I love flowers.”

Her favorite subject is Art and she is currently an AP Studio Art student.

The students all had the opportunity to get real-life juried art exhibition experience in an artistic celebration, presenting their work in the same way professional artists do. While it was nice to submit entries to be judged by local artists, each innovative and talented student artist who created, submitted, and displayed their work benefitted from the experience—they were all winners!

The CFA gallery is filled with paintings, drawings, digital art, sculptures, jewelry, photography and more.

The "Emergence II" students’ exhibit will remain on display through April 2nd.

The Centre for the Arts is a fabulous addition to the Cultural Corridor in Bristol Borough!

Their mission is to promote local and regional artistic talent while inspiring and educating our community and visitors.

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 12-6, Sunday 12-3, Tuesday closed.

“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” Thomas Merton

Centre for the Arts

308 Mill Street

Historic Bristol Borough, PA

267.251.2538

Recommend a “Spotlight”. E-mail vjmrun@yahoo.com