The photography talents of local students are on display at The Gibson Gallery.
The annual “Student Pix” exhibit has opened and features the talents of both elementary and secondary students from the Greater Essex County District School Board (GECDSB). According to Dean Valentino, teacher consultant for the arts, family studies, fashion and social science with the GECDSB, over 100 students entered nearly 200 photographs in this year’s exhibit.
Valentino explained that there are three categories such as color, black and white, and digitally enhanced.
“Each of these has a theme,” he said. “The theme for color is nature. The theme for black and white is technology. The theme for digital is a portrait or individual.”
The criteria is decided on by a group of people, including Valentino, in order to ensure intentionality of the artwork being presented.
“About a dozen schools participated from k to twelve. As for photography clubs there's no list presented to the board of clubs to verify but a number of secondary schools have such clubs,” said Valentino.
The importance of learning such a skill was highlighted, he added.
“Digital photography is so incredibly important to the development of any art student. The media form allows a new creative outlet for students to explore their visions and their concepts that they may not be able to express in a more manipulatable art form, such as oil's pencils, sculpture etc.,” he stated.
“Photography also allows for the new world of technology that today's youth are so involved in to become a bigger part of their exploration artist zeitgeist.”
The Greater Essex County District School Board values working with the community, he added.
“Our school board makes it a priority to have community partnerships for students to express and explore and learn with. The Gibson Gallery is a perfect example of a community partner that has offered up a vision of student engagement that has spanned nearly two decades,” Valentino said. “The people who work and volunteer at the gallery are incredibly affable and easy to work with. They are so accommodating and deeply passionate about public art. Quite simply, they are the perfect community partner for the students in GECDSB.”
The exhibit closes June 2 with an awards ceremony.
The Gibson Gallery is located at 140 Richmond St. in Amherstburg. Current hours are Thursday-Sunday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information, visit www.gibsongallery.org or call 519-736-2826.
"Student Pix" exhibit returns to the Gibson Gallery
By Ron Giofu