Canada Games Gallery hallway bedecked with Class 2021's artwork and art by former IB Art teacher Elizabeth Donnelly-Nelson (Credit: SJAC)
Saint John High School’s annual International Baccalaureate Art Exhibit is once again taking an online form for its 15th showcase at the Saint John Arts Centre.
“They’ve done some beautiful pieces and the show went up without a hitch – they just look great,” said IB Art Instructor Amber Young of the students’ work, adding that this year’s exhibit features very strong drawing and pen and ink artwork along with paintings.
After some debate, Young and the students decided to title the show Unmasked. “That’s kind of about taking the mask off and sharing yourself with the world, which we can’t quite do yet, but hopefully is on the horizon, sharing their creative selves with people,” she said.
The featured artists of Class 2021 are Emily Gordon, Catherine Gray, Anja Hannberg, Sydney Johnson, Erin O’Rourke, Marta Sagrati, Tasha-Marie Speight, Adrian Smith and Alisha Young.
‘Tea Time’ by Anja Hannberg (Credit: SJAC)
The featured artists in the annual Grade 11 still life display are Malakai Burton, Lillian Cannoll-Britt, Hope. E Durant, Breanna Genier, Em Gillis, Rayna Grimmer, Chloe Hicks, Eunkuy (Anna Kim, Grave Lomax, Nathan Morais, Lillian Morehouse, Brooke Moss, An Pham, Lila Vair, Emily Worden and Delia Whitaker.
The students’ artwork is physically on display at the Canada Games & Library Galleries and once again presented as an online, (instead of in-person) art sale where each can be viewed and purchased.
Young says students didn’t expect there to be an in-person exhibition and sale in 2021, adding they adapted to working remotely and working as two different groups alternating in and out.
“In a lot of ways, they were even more independent and had to be even more self-motivated than the groups would normally be,” she said. “They produced wonderful work, they just really worked on their pieces very diligently and were quite communicative with me throughout the whole process.”
The sale is a special experience for the students, where at previous in-person sales they would watch the live bids of people paying money for their artwork.
“That night is just so special and the smiles on the kids’ faces don’t leave for hours afterwards – they’re so pleased with it and surprised that people would actually spend money you know for their pieces,” Young said. “It’s a real eye opener to the possibilities of the future, that they could actually, possibly, someday make money off of selling their work, so it’s a really magical evening for them.”
(Credit: SJAC)’Two Fruit: Apple and Oranges’ by Erin O’Rourke
The Arts Centre takes a commission of 20 per cent from the sales while the remaining 80 per cent goes back to the artists. Young said the online aspect could be a beneficial addition to future exhibitions.
“It gives that added place for people that don’t want to attend in person, or can’t, because they’re out of province, but they may be a relative of a student and then they would have the option to go online and purchase them,” she said.
The exhibition will be held until April 30, with the sale of artwork beginning shortly on the Saint John Arts Centre’s website.
