This month sees the return of a special annual exhibition at the Baton Rouge Gallery devoted to high school artists. Dubbed “REAL-LIFE EXPERIENCE,” the exhibit aims to provide students with exactly that.
Featuring 60 pieces, the juried show presents work selected from 250 submissions, says Baton Rouge Gallery President and CEO Jason Andreasen.
“This is a show we’ve been doing for a while, but it’s really grown over time,” Andreasen says. “It’s an important way to show support for our young artists and to encourage them to continue to pursue their talents.”
|
|
|
The opportunity to submit work is open to ninth through 12th grade school students from public and private high schools in East Baton Rouge Parish. They work in a variety of media—from paintings and drawings to fiber arts and digital creations, Andreasen says.
Three professional member artists, who themselves work in different media, selected the works that viewers will see this month. The 2022 selections weren’t available by press time, but last year’s show included works from students attending St. Joseph’s Academy, University High School, The Dunham School, Central High School, Baton Rouge Magnet High School, McKinley Senior High, Zachary High School, Woodlawn High School and Liberty Magnet High School.
Just like other exhibitions at Baton Rouge Gallery, “REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE” will open with a First Wednesday reception, during which the young artists will mingle with visitors and answer questions about their works. Having their pieces installed in the gallery is a moving phenomenon for most of the students, says local attorney and philanthropist Cordell Haymon, who sponsors the show with his wife, Ava Leavell Haymon, Louisiana’s former poet laureate.
“When these kids have their work on display in an art gallery, it’s a completely different experience for them,” Haymon says. “When it’s hanging there, professionally lit, with visitors looking at it, it takes on a level of significance to the artists and their friends and families.”
Haymon adds that visitors will benefit from taking in the students’ works, which collectively represent the perspective of today’s young people and how they’re interpreting the world.
“It’s such great insight into the thinking of that generation, their creativity and the topics they’re interested in,” Haymon says. “I can’t recommend visiting it highly enough.”
The panel of jurors will select first, second and third place winners who will each be awarded a trophy and cash prize.
The trophies are an intentional strategy, Andreasen says. “We like the idea of schools being able to add plaques for the arts in their trophy cases, along with sports,” he adds.
One artist will also win the Paul A. Dufour & Julia Dufour Richardson Scholarship, which will fund private sessions with a professional artist from the rosters of either the Baton Rouge Gallery or the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge.
And for the first time, the professional artist will have the option to provide the classes in the recently opened Cary Saurage Community Arts Center downtown, a multi-use arts facility with state-of-the-art studio space.
It’s an exciting opportunity for a young creative to sit side by side with a working professional to explore their shared craft, and to discuss how to parlay their skills and passion into real income.
“We want aspiring artists to see what it’s like to actually work professionally in the field,” Andreasen says. “There’s great value in showing that artists don’t have to starve to do what they love.”
SEE THE EXHIBIT
April 5-28
Baton Rouge Gallery
|
|
|
1515 Dalrymple Drive
This article was originally published in the April 2022 issue of 225 magazine.