By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
It’s one thing to create a painting or sculpture and see it on display at Lawrence High School, and quite another thing to see it on exhibit at an art gallery.
That’s what nearly two dozen Lawrence High School students are discovering while their artwork is being shown at the Abud Family Foundation for the Arts. The gallery is located in the office park at 3100 Princeton Pike in Building 4.
The artwork will be on display June 12-15, from noon to 5 p.m. Private showings of the artwork can be arranged by contacting the Abud Family Foundation for the Arts.
The art ranges from paintings to photography and even delicately decorated feathers. This is the third show by high school students in recent years held at the gallery.
The students were asked by the art teachers to choose their best works, said Cheryl Eng, who teaches art at Lawrence High School. She coordinated the show with art teacher Sean Carney.
”We want to give the students an opportunity to show their work in a real gallery,” Ms. Eng said. “They hung up their works. They learned how to display their work how to use the hanging system that a real gallery would use.”
The students all of whom are seniors learned how to place the artwork to its best advantage, which is an experience they would not acquire in art class at school, Ms. Eng said. The students were very excited and they really wanted to do it, she said.
Student artist Samantha Wyckoff said she does not remember a time when she did not sketch or draw. She said she is a “visual learner,” and that’s why she enjoys art. It is one of her favorite hobbies. Her artwork on display focused on the theme of hair its flow and its movement. It’s alive, she said.
Samantha said she was excited to have several of her pieces together on display in one location.
Krista Edwards, whose artwork was mostly made up of feathers, said she likes birds. She bought a box of feathers and decided to create designs on them, which is something that very few artists do, she added.
”It is hard to (decorate on feathers),” Krista said, because the feathers are fragile. She outlines the design on the feather and then fills it in with paint very painstakingly. It is necessary to understand the anatomy of a bird and of the bird’s feathers, she said.
”I really like using natural things. I like using non-conventional surfaces that not a lot of artists use feathers, shells, leaves, bark, driftwood. I find each of these surfaces offers a different kind of canvas. It’s very challenging. It takes a lot of practice,” she said.
To arrange for an appointment to view the art exhibit, contact the gallery at 609-844-0448.

