The Pacific Rim Arts Society’s Orange Door Gallery is full of youthful creativity this week.
A Youth Art Show is currently underway featuring pieces from Ucluelet Secondary School students, including Koyah Morganbanke and her seven and eight-year old youth art group members.
“I think everybody should come down and check it out because the art that’s on display right now is very fantastic,” PRAS executive director Kelly Deakin told the Westerly News at the show’s opening day on April 23.. “The seven and eight year olds are just amazing and the high school artwork is always outstanding.”
The show will run until April 29 at the Orange Door Gallery at 250 Main Street.
Deakin said the seven and eight year-old artists have been embracing their artistic inspirations though Morganbanke’s art group program for the past year.
“We’re excited to showcase youth art because it’s really important to encourage them to keep going on their art path. With the little seven and eight year olds, this will be their first time having their stuff framed and in a gallery, so that’s very exciting for them,” she said. “This is the second opportunity for the high school students and we’re very excited to be promoting all the youth artwork in the community.”
She added the West Coast has a strong youth art community that can draw from the inspiration of passionate peers and structured school programming.
“I’ve been doing artwork all my life and I believe that nurturing the children from a very young age with their arts and encouraging them to move forward is the best way to keep them on an art path throughout their life,” she said.
andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
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