SRVUSD Students Featured in New Exhibition

DANVILLE, CA - From the Town of Danville: Master artist Vincent van Gogh once said, “It is difficult to know oneself, but it isn’t easy to paint oneself either.” High schoolers from the San Ramon Valley Unified School District are taking that challenge in the new exhibition, Face it!, at the Village Theatre & Art Gallery, opening November 2, 2017.

Face It! is a collaborative showing of juried artworks from Monte Vista, San Ramon Valley, California, Dougherty, and Venture High Schools. The prompt, Face It! was left open for student interpretation. Teachers from the district worked individually with artists to find the personal meaning and impact this phrase has on an adolescent. Through sketches, research, brainstorming, trial and error, and finally a finished product, students have created their reply to: Face It!

Dougherty Valley High School Visual Arts Teacher Kelsey Wengel is the curator of this exhibition. To prepare for this exhibition, Wengel worked hand-in-hand with the secondary art teachers across the district to create a diverse display of student work. Wengel is an SRVUSD alumnus, and majored in art with a minor in Education and Applied Psychology at UC Santa Barabara. She began teaching during the inaugural year at Dougherty Valley in 2007. She is a strong advocate for the visual arts within the schools and community, and together with her colleagues and the Town, has provided this opportunity for students to display their “visual voice.”

An Opening Reception for the exhibition Face It! is scheduled for Thursday, November 2, 2017 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. This is a family friendly event that will enlighten and inspire people of all ages. Complimentary refreshments will be served at the opening reception and, as always, this event is free and open to the public. The exhibition will run through December 17, 2017.

The Village Theatre and Art Gallery is located at 233 Front Street in Danville. The Gallery is open to visitors Wednesday through Friday 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Saturday 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and Monday and Tuesday by appointment only. The Gallery is always open one hour before performances in the Theatre. The Art Gallery is closed on Sundays. Admission is free.

For more information, contact Visual Arts Coordinator Marija Nelson Bleier at (925) 314-3460 or mbleier@danville.ca.gov

Image via Town of Danville