New Exhibit Honors Young Artists

 The is celebrating its 35th year with a tradition that gives area students the spotlight in the historic building's galleries. 

The kicked off at 6 p.m. Friday and used both floors of the venue at 2 Oak Knoll Park in Clayton for the two-hour opening. High school artists and their parents, along with friends and community members, packed into the galleries to view 160 paintings, prints, photos and sculptures selected from a field of 333.

"I love it," gallery director Gina Alvarez said. "They're amazing. They're interesting. They can do a lot of things professional artists have forgotten about because they don't know any better ... . A lot of the credit should go to the teachers."

The opening reception filled the entire parking lot. In the spirit of the evening, a few creative visitors even made their own parking spaces. Alvarez estimated 600 people attended the opening, a higher figure than in the other two years she has coordinated the showcase.

"There's a lot of art here that's beyond the years of the artists," executive director Michael Hunt said. "What impresses me about this exhibit is the talent of the high school students and the amount of support they get from the teachers and the parents."

senior Olivia Vitale cherished the experience of having work shown in the gallery.

"It's been humbling," Vitale said. "It's definitely really cool because of how many pieces were submitted. It's a privilege and an honor to be in a legit gallery."

Vitale's ebony artwork, Self Portrait, is being exhibited.

Hazelwood Central High School junior Elegance Davis, who created a drypoint print titled Tree of Life, echoed Vitale's sentiments.

"This is beyond my expectations," Davis said. "This makes me want to pursue art in more ways."

The suggested donation for the exhibit series is $1. The Young Artists' Showcase runs through May 6. Visitors may come from noon to 4 p.m. on any day of the week but Monday.

The Artists' Guild also is hosting two exhibits alongside the showcase. I Breathe. I Walk. is an exhibition by class of 2003 Nerinx Hall High School alumna Kristin Fleischmann, and Eggsperimental & My Best Work, is a collection of photography.