Visual Arts hosts annual regional high school art exhibit

Mt. Hood’s Annual Regional High School Art Exhibit opened Monday, and will be held in the Visual Arts Gallery through April 30.

Art in the exhibit will be judged “for originality, technical skill, composition/use of elements and emergence of personal vision and voice,” according to the college website.

Featured art in this year’s show is produced by high school students from St. Mary’s, David Douglas, Sandy High School, Sam Barlow and Reynolds high schools, Portland Adventist Academy and Portland Lutheran School.

Sandy High senior Emily Walker will have two pieces on display that portray struggles she is familiar with. “They’re centered around social issues. One of them is more surreal and it’s a stippling and the other is a mixed media in pencil and watercolor,” said Walker.

Stippling is a method where a series of dots are used to create an image. Walker’s piece titled “Spirits” expresses her familiarity with being around individuals who struggle with alcohol abuse. “I’ve seen the impact it has on people,” she said.

Walker’s second piece is a drawing made using Indian ink (a black ink widely used for drawing) titled “Home Sweet Home,” illustrating domestic violence.

Walker realized she was interested in art when she was a freshman. “I realized how much I loved it, so now I want to continue into college taking art classes,” she said. She plans on becoming an art therapist. “I just want them to realize that individual actions can actually affect other people also,” said Walker about the message she hopes to get across to viewers with her art.

David Douglas juniors Savanh Koulavong and Daniel Maya each have art on display.

Koulavong’s piece is an ink drawing she did in calligraphy class, titled “Perspective.” “I kind of liked how I did the words on it and the line contours. I haven’t done much of it, but it was pretty good for starting,” she said about deciding on submitting the piece.

“Perspective” is done with Indian ink and is a picture of another student in her calligraphy class with words describing that student.

Koulavong decided she wanted to get into art going into high school, and plans on going to the Portland Northwest College of Art.

Daniel Maya’s piece is titled “Body Dismorphic Disorder.” He explained, “it means that somebody dislikes a certain part of their body.”

“Body Dismorphic Disorder” is done with ink and pencil.

Maya started drawing at a young age. “I really couldn’t do much – like physical activities, so drawing was my only option,” he said.

He plans to continue pursuing art after high school, possibly attending college. His major hope is to become a tattoo artist. “I really like how it adds more to the body,” he said.

Maya encourages people that are artistically inclined to express themselves. “Speak out your mind, just don’t be afraid to let it out,” he said.

Mt. Hood’s Visual Arts Gallery is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.