West Orange High School Artist Exhibit Launches At Local Arts Center

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of the West Orange Arts Council. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.

The West Orange Arts Council (WOAC), in partnership with the Visual and Performing Arts Program at West Orange High School (WOHS), presents the work of Advanced Placement Studio Art students Daniella Aghahowa, Justice Cillo Smith, Damien Delisca, Destiny Dimitrova, Ryan Dumay, Amaya Field, Pricila Minchala, Zoe Perlman, Delailah Santana, Maiyah Santana, Francesca Schuler, Dylan Suriano Garland and Alana Williams at the West Orange Arts Center.

The exhibit runs through Saturday, March 30, 2024, at the West Orange Arts Center Gallery and Gift Shop, 551 Valley Road, West Orange, New Jersey. Exhibit hours are Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. and by appointment. The community is invited to an artists’ reception on Saturday, March 23 from 1 to 3 p.m.

The students installed their exhibit at the WOAC gallery on March 8 led by Advanced Placement Art Teacher Heather Young. They were supported by WOAC’s Elizabeth Berwind and Vice-Chair, Lois Condon of the exhibits committee.

“Our students prepare for this show all year and for many, it is their first gallery experience,” says Heather Young. “Although in recent years our talented young artists have been invited to exhibit in the NJ Teen Arts Festival, SOPAC Inspiring Minds, and at Congressman Donald Payne, Jr.’s distinguished Congressional Art Reception.”

Berwind, who participated in this same show as a senior (WOHS Class of 2019) adds “It’s exciting for me to give back as an adult artist in this show, which meant a lot to me when I was a student at West Orange High School. I’m glad that the tradition is continuing.”

This is the seventh year of the collaboration between WOHS Visual and Performing Arts Director Louis Quagliato and the WOAC. The WOHS Arts Program offers a variety of visual and aesthetic art courses designed for personal enrichment or in preparation for an art-related career. Students are required to complete two semesters of foundation courses before proceeding to Advanced Placement Studio Art, producing portfolios for college admission and earning up to six advanced placement college credits.

"It’s a great partnership that allows us to support and celebrate West Orange’s student artists,” states WOAC chair Patricia Mitrano. "We are working hard to find funds to expand our high school program to ultimately offer internships in gallery management.”

The West Orange Arts Council's mission is to cultivate, inspire, and support the arts in West Orange. Area artists and community leaders remain the core of this all-volunteer organization that operates the West Orange Arts Center Gallery and Gift Shop at 551 Valley Road, West Orange, NJ. For more info visit www.woarts.org, www.facebook.com/woac.org or email info@woarts.org

This program is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts and administered by the Essex County Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs and the New Jersey Arts & Culture Renewal Fund of the Princeton Area Community Foundation.

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