Young artists on display

Montgomery Center for the Arts mounts "Express Yourself."

By: Kara Fitzpatrick
   MONTGOMERY — The Montgomery Center for the Arts is celebrating Youth Art Month with a special display called "Express Yourself — The Culture of Our Generation" and a number of special events.
   The exhibition, a collaboration between the arts center and the National Arts Honor Society of Montgomery High School, will be displayed at the center’s 1860 House today through March 25.
   An opening reception, to which the public is invited, is slated for 6 tonight.
   "We wanted to empower young people to show us their world in their own way," said center Executive Director Frances Chaves.
   "Rather than designing the program and asking them to fit into it, we met with the National Arts Honor Society students and asked them what they would like to see happen at the center.
   "The Arts Festival has been designed by students for students," said Ms. Chaves.
   The celebration began Thursday with a full day of visual art workshops given by professional artists involved with the center.
   Students from Montgomery High School were invited to participate in the workshops, creating the pieces that will be hung in the 1860 House galleries for the month-long exhibition.
   Also on Thursday, the center hosted a poetry slam. High school students were encouraged to compete in the slam with their original poetry.
   At tonight’s reception, video artists from Montgomery High School will show a video highlighting Thursday’s workshops and poetry slam. Tonight’s opening reception will begin with the hanging of the pieces produced during the previous day’s workshops as well as other works of art created by members of the National Arts Honor Society.
   In addition, the opening reception will feature the music of Montgomery High School bands Daisy Haze and Young Musicians for Volunteer Action.
   "The arts are incredibly important vehicles for young people to express their complex feelings and thoughts about the world in which they live," said Marsha Levin Rojer, chairman of the center’s exhibition committee.
   "We are proud that (the center) is giving young people an opportunity to be heard," said Ms. Rojer.
   Tina Boyer, a Montgomery High School art instructor and National Arts Honor Society adviser, said the students "have developed this project to encompass all of the arts.
   "They wanted to offer opportunities to as many young artists as possible through educational workshops, exhibitions and performances," said Ms. Boyer.
   About 17 students are members of the Montgomery High School National Arts Honor Society.
   There is no charge for the exhibition reception.
   More information about Youth Art Month is available at (609) 921-3272 or www.montgomerycenterforthearts.com.