MHS Hosts First Student-run Art Festival

Senior art students Saranya Kanagaraj and Hannah Sotnick have such love for art that they wanted to instill a little of it in others at Millburn High School and the rest of the community.

So they came up with a plan for the first-ever student-run Students for the Arts Festival at MHS. And finally, after months of preparation, the festival will take place at the school this Sunday (June 5) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“We want the entire town to see how artistic and talented Millburn students really are," Saranya Kanagaraj said.

 Both girls have been in the AP Art Program for three years. This year, after completing the AP Studio I and II, they are currently in the Art Consortium program, which provides a collaborative experience between the Fairleigh Dickinson University Middle College Program and the Millburn High School Art Department, allowing students to receive three college credits.

In 2010, Saranya and Hannah were also both fortunate enough to participate in a workshop run by artist James Gurney. Since both are pursuing art-related careers—Saranya will be attending the University of Texas and Hannah will be at Columbia University in the fall—they say this workshop was “truly inspirational and educational” for both of them.

To make opportunities like these accessible to more students, they decided to plan an event that would bring attention to the importance of art as a learning experience, with the hope of raising money for the arts in public schools. They say they wanted to “give other kids something supplemental and unique in regards to art in their lives.”

Pooling their talents and skills, the girls organized a council of 10 students who helped put together Sunday's free festival. The festival – from the art show to the arts and crafts for kids to the concessions – is completely student-run, and “extraordinary opportunity for visitors to view and purchase prints or originals of the approximately 200 pieces of student artwork on display,” the girls said.

Their teachers have been impressed with their ability to pull it off especially knowing how much work it has taken.

“Saranya and Hannah have communicated with their council, teachers and staff and the community, sharing their passion and enthusiasm for the arts and making it infectious,” MHS teacher Gina Santianna said. “They deserve the utmost praise for such an ambitious undertaking but I know for them it was a labor of love.”

The works of art in the show were juried by Santianna and MHS art teacher Mary Weber as well as also Julian Tejera, who works at the Montclair Art Museum. In addition, there will be a variety of activities at the festival for children including face painting, quilt making, bracelet-making and make-your-own Jackson Pollock painting, the girls said.

The festival committee and other student volunteers will sell ice cream and hold a silent auction with items donated by local businesses and sponsorships from over 250 businesses. The Millburn High School Solfege group and local Sun Hill Dual will be performing, as well.

Half of the proceeds from the festival will go toward providing workshops, artist presentations and other artistic enrichment opportunities for MHS students in the future. The other 50 percent of profits will go to VSA, an international organization that promotes the arts for people with disabilities and is an affiliate of the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts. A New Jersey representative from VSA will be at the festival to give out information about the organization.