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BUCKS AND MONTGOMERY PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS SHOWCASE THEIR ARTISTIC TALENT AT A JURIED ART EXHIBITION
Twenty Students Awarded Prizes in the 21st Annual “Touch the Future” Art Exhibition Sponsored by the Pennsylvania State Education Association Mideastern Region
Montgomeryville, Pa. – February 4, 2008 - The 21st annual “Touch the Future” Student Art Exhibit, sponsored by the Mideastern Region of the Pennsylvania State Education Association (MER/PSEA), opened to the public Saturday, February 2 with a reception and awards ceremony honoring three best of show, 14 category and three purchase prize winners at the “Art Gallery at 16 High Street,” Montgomery County Community College West Campus, Pottstown, Pa.
One hundred and ninety-five pieces are displayed in the juried show from the 840 artworks submitted by 19 public school districts throughout Bucks and Montgomery counties. The work ranges from traditional and digital photography to computer graphics, from black-and-white drawings to functional ceramics, mixed media and sculpture.
“Poetry, Passion, Power…these are the three words that come to mind when viewing the works featured in this year’s PSEA exhibition,” said Carmina Cianciulli, assistant dean of admissions for Tyler School of Art, Temple University, who judged the show. “As someone who has viewed thousands of student works throughout nineteen years as an art school admissions director and as a juror of many exhibitions, I have never been more impressed with a body of submissions. These are not just compositions, colors, forms…they are also, in many cases, the innermost feelings, anxieties, dreams and souls of these young artists laid bare.”
The exhibit, which began as a memorial to NASA’s “teacher in space,” Christa McAuliffe, whose motto was “I touch the future…I teach,” has evolved into an annual event, designed to give public high school students the opportunity to experience a professionally juried show. It also underscores the commitment of Bucks and Montgomery county public school educators to the visual arts.
The event is chaired by art teachers Lynne Pribis of Upper Dublin High School, Joanne Harris of North Penn High School and Ian Williams of Wissahickon High School. “We’re always amazed by the incredible work of the students,” said Pribis. “Art has the power to challenge students at the deepest level of their intellectual capacity and to enhance their education in so many ways. It is one of many activities that can never be tested, yet is critical to a literate, thoughtful and creative populace.”
The exhibition will be open to the public through Tuesday, Feb. 26, free-of-charge, during gallery hours: Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The gallery is located across from the Days Inn in Pottstown. For further information, contact 1-800-492-2727 during business hours.
Best of Show winners include:
Wissahickon High School
1st place: Acrylic painting, “Self-Portrait.” Student: Laura Beckman; Teacher: David Miller
Cheltenham High School 2nd place: 3-D mixed media, “Book of Truths.” Student: Steve Le; Teacher: Connie Berger
Upper Dublin High School 3rd place: Printmaking, “Silhouette.” Student: Samantha Guzzi; Teacher: Jen Tulli
Bucks County Category Award winners include:
Council Rock South High School
3D Mixed Media Sculpture/Relief, “Gerhardt de Givors.” Student: Kyle Psulkowski; Teacher: Chris Casella
Color Drawing, “Ready for Laps.” Student: Angela Kwacz; Teacher: Martha Taylor
Pennsbury High School East Campus Functional Ceramics, “Octopus.” Student: Michelle Germani; Teacher: Danyelle Lala
Pennsbury High School
Photo-Traditional, “By the Day’s Light.” Student: Ryan Greenberg; Teacher: Jim Minton
Montgomery County Category Award winners include:
Cheltenham High School
Computer Graphics, Untitled. Student: Julia Tran; Teacher: Elizabeth Winarski
Lower Merion High School
B & W Drawing, Glove Still Life. Student: Sarah Lammer; Teacher: Louise Pierce
Jewelry, “In the Spirit of Degas.” Student: Alexis Turner: Teacher: Harriet Ackerman
Methacton High School Painting–Acrylic/Oil, “Studio.” Student: Mary Han Chesson; Teacher: Nancy Marcinko North Penn High School 2D Mixed Media/Collage,“Simple Things.” Student: Arielle Coupe; Teacher: Joanne Harris
Printmaking, “The Young Lad and the Sea.” Student: Dan Stover; Teacher: Marlene Adler
Plymouth Whitemarsh High School Photo-Digital/Alt. Process, “Mermaid.” Student: Brittany Silver; Teacher: Candace Maggioncalda
Springfield Township High School Painting–Watercolor, “Reaching.” Student: Dani Noble; Teacher: Chris Houston
Upper Dublin High School
Fiber-Crafts, “Steven in his Element.” Student: Lauryn Volovar; Teacher: Lynne Pribis
3D Single Medium Sculpture, “Pin Cushion.” Student: Kimberly Ross; Teacher: John Rodgers
Three pieces have also been purchased from students for permanent display at the offices of PSEA Mideastern Region in Montgomeryville:
Bensalem High School
Large ceramic teapot. Student: Anum Raza; Teacher: Lori Smull
Springfield High School 3-D mixed media sculpture, “Feast On Earth.” Student: Reilly Meiers; Teacher: Mark Kobacz
Functional ceramic vessel, “Hera.” Student: Ashley Porrini; Teacher: Mark Kobacz
MER/PSEA is comprised of the 42 local teacher associations that represent more than 16,000 public school educators in Bucks and Montgomery counties.
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