Monday, Mar. 15, 2010

Youth show their artistic side

More than 170 entries received

A youth art exhibition was held at the Ted Falasco Arts Center last Friday - Sunday.

The art show featured watercolors, photography, sculptures, ceramics and acrylic drawings created by students in the Los Baños Unified School District. Students from Our Lady of Fatima school and home-schooled pupils were also invited to participate.

Teacher Sharon Caredio helped coordinate the event. She said 174 entries were received.

Caredio said students often shy away from pursuing a career in art because they believe they’re not likely to make any money in the profession. Caredio tries to persuade them otherwise.

“I tell them look at the design on your pants, that’s art. Somebody designed that,” she said. “Art is an $85 billion industry.” ]

The exhibit included arts and crafts activities for children who came to view the art and included a bake sale to raise funds for the district’s arts program.

Los Baños High School’s art and photography clubs helped staff the event.

The young artists and their parents trickled in to look at the art during the exhibit’s three-day run. Joshua Barger, 11, was thrilled that his work was mistakenly labeled as part of the high school students’ display. Barger had several pieces in the show, but his favorites were drawings he recreated using the cartoon character Garfield.

“I look at pictures and I just draw for the fun of it,” Barger said. “When I’m done I give it away and draw something else.”

For 16-year-old Baljit Singh painting the “Owl Priest on the Pyramid” was difficult at first but he overcame it. “I thought, ‘It’s not really my thing,” but once I got my base down I said, ‘Oh I can do this. And I can do that,’” Singh said, verbally going through his painting process. “Arts like a puzzle it all fits together.”

In addition to promoting art, Caredio said the event also served as a way of observing Youth Art Month.

She said she’d like to get more community involvement from local business for the next youth art exhibit.

Enterprise staff writer Corey Pride can be reached at 388-6563 or cpride@losbanosenterprise.com