Talent Soars at Weber Middle School Art Exhibit

A creative flow spread through the halls of the Carrie Palmer Weber Middle School as 23 eighth-grade students displayed their artwork for all to see at the Weber Studio in Art Exhibit. Acrylics, oil paints, pastels, charcoal and pencil drawings were some of the different mediums used by the teen artists during the almost two-hour exhibit last Thursday evening.

"I have been teaching here for 22 years and I always tell the students to explore many avenues of self-expression," said art teacher and event coordinator Ann Kopple. "You cannot go wrong when it is your own expression. I tell the artists to always be creative."

According to Kopple, the eighth-grade Studio in Art program requires a portfolio for acceptance and only 23 students were accepted this year. She explained that the art students will receive one credit towards their 10th-grade Schreiber High School art studies.

Eighth-grader Maggie Golder said she was excited to see her artwork on display and that she plans to pursue art as a career path. "It comes from my emotions as the work branches out to become interesting and unique works of art," Golder said as she showed off her rendition of a Mona Lisa drawing. "I am definitely interested in an accelerated high school art program."

Maggie's parents, John and Rachel Golder, said they feel that their daughter really expresses herself through her art. "It has been a journey for Maggie and she has broken the boundaries," Rachel Golder said. "We are thrilled with her mastery of different mediums."

Some of the other artists focused on renaissance drawings with clay and oil pastels. One such artist was Sophia Kim, who had a flare for bright acrylics and pastels. She said that she learned about Monet and Van Gogh in her art classes this past year.

"Since I was very young I would doodle and draw all kinds of things; art was my passion," Kim said. "I don't know if I will pursue this as a career, but I will always do it as a hobby."

Port Washington residents Nayong Ha and Tsugiko Miyoshi said that all the artists were so talented, but that they thought Kim's artwork was bright and joyful. They specifically pointed out that they both loved her abstract oil pastel drawing of a cow.

"Kim's work makes me smile; it just stands out," Ha said. "It just makes me happy seeing this wonderful young artist sitting by her cheerful artwork."

One of the other artists on display, Jillian Ring, explained how art is an expression of the soul and that it is like a glimpse through a looking glass into someone's life. She said her favorite mediums are pencils and acrylic paints. "Mrs. Kopple and the other art student brought out the best in me," Ring said.

Richard Marcus, a Port Washington resident and grandfather of eighth-grade artist Mimi Tamkin, said he was flabbergasted by how talented all the kids were at the exhibit.

"If my granddaughter loves art and wants to pursue it, then I am all for it," Marcus said. "All the kids are doing a great job here. They are so creative."