CSUN Hosting 16th Annual High School Art Invitational

  • Fifteen pictures hanging on two walls in the art gallery. A large statue replica of a yo-yo sits in the foreground. All pieces were selected by art teachers from their respective high schools.

    The 16th Annual High School Art Invitational is on display in the California State University, Northridge Art Galleries through Jan. 26. The event showcases student and faculty art from 36 San Fernando Valley high schools. Several student art pieces of various mediums ranging from oil paintings to digital graphic design were selected by school faculty to be placed in the exhibit.

  • Three paintings and three small sculptures by students at North Hollywood High School. A large painting on the left-hand side depicts a blue female face with fiery red hair and yellow eyes. The piece is entitled “Fatal Beauty,” an oil-on-canvas, by Talia Dutton. An oil painting on the right-hand wall depicting a floral scene is untitled by Valeriana Stefan.

    North Hollywood High School displays the creative works of six students’ varied media arts, including “Fatal Beauty,” an oil-on-canvas painting, by Talia Dutton (on left) and “Untitled,” also oil on canvas, by Valeriana Stefan.

  • A wall in the gallery where six student works from Heritage Christian School of Northridge are featured. This display includes a wire sculpture of a bird, four portraits—three male and one female—a golden mixed media piece that includes a house-like shape.

    Displayed together are the works of six students from Heritage Christian School of Northridge featuring varied media including wire sculpturing and oil paintings. Prominently in the lower left-hand corner is an untitled mixed media piece by Christiane Moon.

  • The “Golden Lotus,” oil-on-canvas, by Wood Grigsby from John H. Francis Polytechnic of Sun Valley. It explores the beauty of nature through contrasting yellows and greens on lotus pads.

    “Golden Lotus,” oil-on-canvas, by Wood Grigsby from John H. Francis Polytechnic of Sun Valley explores the beauty of nature, engaging the real with a touch of the fantastical.

  • The “Don’t Touch,” oil painting, by Patricia Murillo from Concordia Junior/Senior High School of Sylmar. It is a unique display of artistry from the up-and-coming generation. The painting features a woman with a skeleton face wrapped around a blossoming cactus with an apple in one palm.

    Seemingly inspired by various cultures, “Don’t Touch,” oil painting, by Patricia Murillo from Concordia Junior/Senior High School of Sylmar is a unique display of artistry from the up-and-coming generation.

The 16th Annual High School Art Invitational is on display now through Jan. 26 in California State University Northridge’s Art Galleries. The event showcases student and faculty art from 37 San Fernando Valley high schools.

“This community event gives high school students an opportunity to show their work in a professional gallery,” said Michelle Giacopuzzi, exhibitions coordinator. “It can be used on their resumes if they are inclined to continue working in the art field.”

Each school is allowed to display up to six pieces of student art. Giacopuzzi estimates 240 student pieces occupy the Main Gallery. The student artists use various mediums ranging from oil paintings to digital graphic design. More than 30 faculty pieces are featured in the West Gallery.

“Many of these teachers are graduates of our CSUN art education department,” Giacopuzzi said.

A closing reception for the exhibition will be held on Jan. 25 from 7 to 9 p.m. with refreshments and a performance by the CSUN Department of Music’s Masanga Marimba.

“The invitational is a great way to showcase young talent at the higher education level,” said Alydia Adamczyk, an El Camino Real High School visual arts teacher. “I’ve been on it from its first year and have witnessed how hyped the kids are when they see their work in the gallery.”

Adamczyk also noted the benefit for CSUN educators in seeing what is being done at the high school level.

The following high schools will be participating: Arleta, Birmingham Community Charter, Bishop Alemany, Campbell Hall, Chaminade College Preparatory, Chatsworth, Concordia, Amelia Earhart, El Camino Real Charter, Faith Baptist, Granada Hills Charter, Grover Cleveland, Harvard Westlake, Heritage Christian, Highland Hall, James Monroe, John H. Francis Polytechnic, Louisville, Milken Community, New Community Jewish, North Hollywood, North Valley Charter Academy, Northridge Academy, Notre Dame, Reseda, Sherman Oaks CES, Sierra Canyon, Stoney Point, Sylmar, The Buckley School, Ulysses S. Grant, Valley Alternative, Van Nuys, Verdugo Hills, Viewpoint School, William H. Taft and William T. Aggeler.

Not only does the event benefit the direct participants, but it also benefits the art and arts education communities, Giacopuzzi said.

“I hear from many high school art teachers that it is useful to them to see what other schools are doing and perhaps use this information for their own curriculum,” she said.

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