HHS Art Students Participate in Annual stART Regional Art Exhibition

Two Harrison High School art students, Justin Santiago and Brooke Goulas, had the opportunity to showcase their work at the annual start Regional High School Art Exhibition held at the Osilas Gallery at Concordia College. The StART Exhibition gives high school art students an opportunity to showcase their work in a professional gallery and build their credentials and portfolios for college. Last year, this unique progam had submissions from over 90 artists from 30 regional public and private high schools across Westchester, Fairfield, Rockland and Orange Counties, as well as the Bronx.

StART 2017 was sponsored by The Heart of Neiman Marcus Foundation, which supports organizations that bring enriching arts experiences to youth . . . because ART changes lives. In addition to their artwork, students submitted a biography explaining not just their piece but their journey into art. The following are Justin (shown in the picture above) and Brooke’s statements:

My name is Justin Santiago. I am 16 years old and was born in New York. I am a junior at Harrison High School, and just recently began taking visual art electives. It hasn’t been an easy transition for me. However, I’m getting used to the idea of working in a studio environment. Art, in general, has always been a part of me. For much of my life I’ve done art on my own- digitally. Often these edits/works are tied in with the music I play.

I’ve always been inspired by electronic music, namely Daft Punk and The Chemical Brothers, both duos of whom used art as a means to express themselves through graphic and visual design. Much of their sound and imagery have inspired me and continue to influence my work. I am often influenced by the abstract and human form, taking inspiration from artists like Andy Warhol, named an artistic influence for Daft Punk, and Kate Gibb, whom I found out about through The Chemical Brothers. Both Warhol and Gibb use screen printing as a medium for their work.

As for this piece, the line between fine art and digital art became blended. The starting point was a photograph I took of my friend, Malik, which I then digitally edited. That became the starting point for my ink piece, entitled “Beholder”. This piece took a lot of planning, but it paid off. I’m glad I managed to blend what I love to do with something I always wanted to learn to do.

My name is Brooke Goulas and I've been taking ceramics in Harrison High School for three years. During this time, I have learned many building techniques including how to make teapots on the potter's wheel. Italian Majolica is a style of ceramics which was introduced to me during my second year of ceramics. While researching my teapot design, I found that many Italian Majolica pieces have surface decoration of fruits and vegetables. I love the shapes, colors, and forms of all types, such as apples, cherries, pineapples, oranges, and grapes. Therefore, I thought the style of Italian Majolica would be a natural choice for my teapot design.

Another reason why I wanted to do this piece was because my grandparents are from Italy and I grew up seeing similar pieces in their home. When I began this piece I thought the process would be long and difficult. However, now that I have completed it I discovered the challenge was worth it because the teapot symbolizes me and what I love.

Harrison’s Celebration of National Youth Art Month Begins March 5th. Celebrate the creativity of Harrison Central School District's students and the greater Harrison community on Sunday, March 5th from 1pm-3pm at the Harrison Municipal Building and the Harrison Public Library.

Youth Arts Month, sponsored and coordinated by the Harrison Council for the Arts, gives school children, from kindergarten through high school, the opportunity to display their works of art. It also gives parents, grandparents, families and visitors to the Municipal Building and Library the privilege of viewing and appreciating this year’s presentation.