Just stepping into the art room is overwhelming—art hangs from every corner of the room, creativity pouring from the crevices. Outside the art room is a small gallery filled with the originality of Albemarle’s artistic student body, everything from ceramic pots to charcoal sketches to crystal clear photographs of the sunset gracing the Shenandoah mountain range.
An opportunity to not only view but to purchase this art presents itself at the third annual AHS Art Extravaganza which will take place this Sunday, May 19, from 1-5 in the afternoon.
The Art Extravaganza offers the students a chance to take home their peers’ creations. “It’s an art auction that raises money for the Lily Romando Scholarship fund. We auction ceramics, photography, and any other mixed media fine arts pieces. It is held at AHS and is open to anyone in the community,” senior Morgan Hooper said, who developed the idea with her fellow National Art Honors Society Members in 2011.
“People should be looking forward to lots of great art pieces on sale for the silent auction—framed work from the photography students is always very popular, and sometimes we get really great ceramics pieces that people love,” senior Isabel Lee said.
The money raised from the Extravaganza will fund the Lily Romando Arts Scholarship, which was recently created in honor of a previous Albemarle High School student very involved in the arts department, particularly photography, that passed away last year. After reviewing applicants, the NAHS will award three different students $500 in scholarship money.
The NAHS hopes to raise anywhere from $500-$1500. Last year the Art Extravaganza allowed the NAHS to reel in $1000 that funded scholarships for aspiring art students.
Although the money is raised for a scholarship students still “really enjoy having people buy their work,” art teacher and National Art Honors Society sponsor, Karen Singel said. “Students wanted to be able to show their work and make some money for the school, and because they’re artists—this was the best way to do it.”
Student artists and photographers contributed almost 100 pieces to the event, leaving the public a wide variety of artistic styles to choose from. Various aspiring artists’ work will display their work alongside the work of students who simply want to use their talent for a good cause. “That’s one of the best parts about this—the distribution of local talent,” Lee said.
The community involvement in the event stretches beyond the realm of Albemarle High School. “It brings the community into the school,” photography teacher Susan Oliveri said, “People come together to observe and usually they’re very impressed with the work.” Parents do their part by contributing cakes to the cake auction which Oliveri claims will be one of the highlights of the event. “It’s fun to see the variety of cakes people will bring,” Hooper said. The cake auction provides a distraction for the younger children while adults immerse themselves in the art world.
The AHS band, including the award-winning wind ensemble and jazz band will be performing their spring concert on the same day from 3-5pm.
AHS’s Literary Magazine will also be selling its annual literary magazines which include student poetry, short stories and artwork. “It’s a chance for the community to appreciate the great work of Albemarle High School students, while it gives the students the chance to be recognized for their hard work,” junior Elena Gavrilovic said.
The event accepts all kinds of art from students—even those outside the realm of the fine arts department. “The Art Extravaganza benefits both the students and community because it really puts out students’ work into a more public audience, and the people that come always enjoy the art that is created,” senior Isabel Lee said.
