WFHS Student Art Work Honors Features Civil Rights Activist Sam Cooke

Press release from the William Floyd School District:

Feb. 22, 2023

William Floyd High School National Art Honor Society students have entered a beautiful mosaic of soul singer and civil rights activist Sam Cooke into the East End Arts Third Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Portrait Project, an exhibition which allows students “the opportunity to unleash their creativity to create individual panels that come together to create a portrait of a civil rights leader.” This work, along with others, will be on display beginning, Saturday, February 18 at the East End Food Market in Riverhead. The piece is also up for auction with proceeds supporting the East End Arts School scholarships for high school art students.

Students, under the direction of William Floyd High School art teacher and fine arts chairperson Theresa Bianco, as well as National Art Honor Society advisor Erika Licausi, were challenged to pay tribute to influential civil rights leaders through artistic expression. Students chose inspirational musician Sam Cooke, referred to as the “King of Soul,” who helped spur change by refusing to perform for segregated audiences.

Participating artists include Addison Fattizzo, Miguel Garces, Hailey Green, Kassidy Hunt, Ray Lizzol II, Adriana LoBrow, Teaghan Lynch, Nicholas Occhino, Lena O’Neil, Shea Roberto and Kate Samlihan.

The show will open tomorrow and be on display each Saturday until the exhibition’s closing on Saturday, March 4. The East End Food Mark, located at 139 Main Road in Riverhead, is open from 9 am to 1 pm each Saturday. William Floyd artists Hailey Green and Kate Samlihan will represent William Floyd at the opening and be on hand to discuss their work.

William Floyd High School’s “Sam Cooke” is up for auction until March 6, 2023.

This press release was produced by the William Floyd School District. The views expressed here are the author's own.