Students of the Arts
The Art Center was packed Friday night with eager teenagers awaiting the awards in the Associated Artists of Butler County's annual Butler County High School Exhibit.
The show featured some 400 works by students from seven county schools.
The exhibit took countless hours to hang and more than two hours for Heather Hertel of the Slippery Rock University art department to judge.
In her opening remarks, Hertel thanked not only the students but their mentors too. “A special thanks goes to the high school art teachers; without them, these works would not be as far along as they are,” she said.
Hertel then proceeded to announce the winners of the show in the seven categories.
One winner from Knoch High School, shared the event with her art teacher Diane Geist, who couldn't have been prouder.
Brooke Etzel, a freshman, won second place for “Lacey,” a pencil drawing of a perfume ad she found in a magazine.
“The ad caught my attention because of the expression on the model's face and the intricate lace of her dress. I love details,” Brooke said.
She has been drawing since she could pick up a pencil and is gifted in other mediums as well. “I just love pencil and paper and it's a part of me. I feel like I have something inside and it just comes out when I pick up a pencil,” she said.
She is no stranger to art awards, as her website www.beeartandphoto.weebly.com shows the scope of her art and a gallery of her winning works.
Brooke not only is enrolled in art class at Knoch where she studies with Geist, but also takes private lessons with Pittsburgh artist Terry Perpich Beer.
Butler Senior High School junior Maggie Myers placed in two categories: drawing and mixed/digital. She took top honors in the drawing category for her “Lennon Legend.”
Seneca Valley art students were frequent winners with awards in nearly every category. Megan Kasperski of Seneca Valley Intermediate won Best of Show for her life-size painting, “Past, Present, and Future.”
Throughout the exhibit, the themes of Lady Liberty and The Beatles and projects involving birds and puzzle pieces were evident but portrayed in unique approaches.
Participating schools and art classes include:Butler Intermediate — teachers Erich Campbell, Holly Bly and Britta Manges;Butler Senior High — teachers Jon Pugliese and Anne Wilson;Karns City High — teacher Carol Berteotti;Knoch High — teachers Diane Geist and Doug Kamer;Mars High — teachers Erin Sloane and Rita Johnson;Seneca Valley Intermediate — teacher Jason Woolslare;Seneca Valley Senior High — teachers Megan Bonistalli, Jason Shorr and James Nagle.Individual winners were:<B>Best of Show</B>Megan Kasperski of Seneca Valley Intermediate High School for “Past, Present, and Future”<B>Painting</B>First — Deanna Magiske, Seneca Valley Senior High, for “Ashley O”Second — Hayley Esterline, Mars High, for “Gold and Read”Third — Ashley Ollinger, Seneca Valley Senior High, for “Affable”Honorable mentions — Ashleigh Nadzam, Seneca Valley Senior High, for “Maiden Voyage;” Emily Skamla, Seneca Valley Intermediate, for “You Ain't Nothing But a Hound Dog;” and Maggie Kerr, Butler Senior High, for her untitled painting<B>Drawing</B>First — Maggie Myers, Butler Senior High, for “Lennon Legend”Second — Brooke Etzel, Knoch High, for “Lacey”Third — Lauren Spinneweber, Butler Intermediate, for “Dimension 11”<B>Printmaking</B>First — Taylor Lantz, Seneca Valley Senior High, for “Sarah Swimming Backstroke”Second — Maggie Myers, Butler Senior High, for “Olive”Third — Shari Sarver, Seneca Valley Senior High, for “Space Man in Color”<B>3-D/sculpture</B>First — Taylor Armstrong, Karns City High, for “Split Personality”Second — Jonathan Gibson, Butler Senior High, for “Clock Work”Third — Jonathan Gibson, Butler Senior High, for “Pedophile.”<B>Mixed media</B>First — Kelly Pfab, Seneca Valley Senior High, for “Masked”Second — Adam Barbe, Seneca Valley Senior High, for “Directional”Third — Megan Daugherty, Knoch High, for an untitled mixed media piece<B>Photography</B>First — Kady Huber, Mars High, for “Burning Glory”Second — Jen Kytle, Mars High, for “Chain Reaction”Third — Deanna Magiske, Seneca Valley Senior High, for “Out of the Light, Into the Dark”The Butler County High School Exhibit continues through April 13 at The Art Center, 344 S. Main St.Other upcoming events there include spring art classes starting April 11, the Underground Gallery's Photography Show opening and Christopher Paul Stelling concert on April 13 and the annual spring show and sale opening May 5.For more information, call 724-283-6922 or visit www.aabcArtCenter.com.<B>IF YOU'RE GOING</B><B>WHO:</B> Associated Artists of Butler County<B>WHAT:</B> Annual Butler County High School Exhibit<B>WHEN: </B>Through April 13, gallery hours are noon to 6 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and noon to 9 p.m. Fridays.<B>WHERE:</B> The Art Center, 344 S. Main St.<B>ADMISSION</B>: Free<B>INFO:</B> 724-283-6922 or www.aabcartcenter.com
