Staff Writer
Beautiful, lavish art by young rising talent may seem like it would only be displayed in a trendy Manhattan gallery, but now Bear Creek AP Art students are presenting their masterpieces in their own exhibit.
The artists are displaying their art in the Heart of the Arts Gallery in Lodi as a 100-point assignment. Students present work done in class as well as their independent work that expresses art concepts such as concentration, color theory and design, sculptures, and drawings.
The students have had their work displayed at the Lodi gallery for two years. Before the Lodi gallery opened its doors to the students, the Stockton gallery displayed the AP art in the Weberstown Mall. Since the Stockton gallery closed, the AP art class had to find a new place to house their masterpieces.
"The mall was much more convenient, but since it is now unavailable, we decided to use Lodi's Heart of the Arts," AP art teacher Marilyn Eger said.
Many of the students will use the same pieces displayed in the show as one of four pieces of art that they will include, with 36 slides of other work, in their portfolio that will be sent to the National College Board. The portfolios will be evaluated to determine if students will receive college credit for the class.
Eger feels that the gallery provides the students more freedom to safely display their artwork.
"If we had the art show on campus, the students' work would not be respected," Eger said. "Their pieces might be vandalized or even stolen."
The students also appreciate the opportunity to display their work in an art gallery.
"It is weird at first because you do not know how the audience will react to your work," senior David Teas said, "but the project is a whole new experience and it is wonderful for people who have a passion for art."
The students have heard good reviews from their audience.
"I have heard that the students' work is appreciated by the people who have seen it," Eger said. "Lodi is very impressed by what the students can do."