Arts and Entertainment

New Kensington art gallery features area high school students' work

Alle-Kiski Arts Consortium's 'Arts Alive' runs in March

Art by students at St. Jospeph's High School hangs salon-style in the Art Gallery at Penn State New Kensington. The works are a part of the Alle-Kiski Arts Consortium exhibit in March.  Credit: Bill Woodard / Penn State. Creative Commons

UPPER BURRELL, Pa. -- Easel art with the theme of identity is the focus of the annual high school student art exhibit, March 4 to 28, in the Art Gallery at Penn State New Kensington.

The show, “Arts Alive,” is sponsored by the Alle-Kiski Arts Consortium, a group of local educators dedicated to bringing performing and visual arts to area students. Prissy Pakulski, visual arts educator at Valley High School in the New Kensington-Arnold School District, is the coordinator of the event.

“The art exhibit is a wonderful cooperative experience for the art students in the districts,” said Pakulski, a visual artist who previously has shown her work at the campus. “The gallery at Penn State New Kensington produces an ambiance of professionalism, and students get a real gallery exhibition experience.”

Artwork by students from five area high schools -- Highlands, Valley, Deer Lakes, Kiski Area and St. Joseph's -- is featured in the show. The theme is interwoven in each school’s display.

"The exhibit is an opportunity for the student artist to complete the artistic creative experience by running the full circle of creation to display,” said Pakulski, who works in stained glass. “It is a yearlong experience in the visual arts.”

More than 500 two- and three-dimensional pieces, including paintings, drawings, sculpture and jewelry will be hung salon-style, a European technique that dates back to the 17th century. Salon-style features a single exhibition room with artwork covering all the walls in a collage-like pattern.

“The art exhibition is hung salon style, with a flair of the Paris display technique,” Pakulski said. “It furthers the uniqueness of the young emerging artists. In addition, easels and pedestals will further showcase the creations.”

New to the Alle-Kiski consortium are two art educators -- Ray Sharkins of Valley and Jacob Yuhasz of Kiski Area. Their art will be showcased at the exhibit.

A reception for the artists is set from 5 to 7 p.m., Monday, March 23, in the art gallery. In conjunction with the reception is the High School Performing Arts Showcase, from 7 to 9 p.m. in the campus’ Forum Theatre. Artists and performers will receive t-shirts designed by Deer Lakes students.

"The performing arts component is an opportunity for students to perform in a musical area,” Pakulski said.

The exhibit, reception and performances are free to the public. The gallery is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays and noon to 5 p.m. on the weekends.

For more information, contact Pakulski at 724-337-4536 ext. 2010 or ppakulski@nkasd.com

For photos of the exhibit, visit http://psnk.smugmug.com/

Last Updated March 5, 2015

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