Gallery: “Young Visions” 2023

Mason Thornton stands next to his artwork, “Egyptian Watercolor.” (Photo Credit: Andra Landi)

Charcoal drawing by Sara Turney. (Photo Credit: Andra Landi)

The “Young Visions” exhibit features student artwork from each of the nine Orange County public schools as well as Grymes Memorial School. (Photo Credit: Andra Landi)

Tristan Arnatt points out his mixed media piece to Locust Grove Primary School art teacher John Lentine. (Photo Credit: Andra Landi)

“My Town,” watercolor by Tenley Belcher. (Photo Credit: Andra Landi)

“Young Visions” will be on display through May 13 in the Morin Gallery of The Arts Center In Orange. (Photo Credit: Andra Landi)

Seth Duncan holds a ceramic heart that he created during an art class at Orange County High School. (Photo Credit: Andra Landi)

Acrylic landscape by Mily Vasquez. (Photo Credit: Andra Landi)

Colored pencil drawing by Mikaela Shelton. (Photo Credit: Andra Landi)

Ethan Herndon and Annette Duncan proudly display their pieces of wearable art. (Photo Credit: Andra Landi)

Reception attendees line up to have their faces painted by arts center director Anna Pillow. (Photo Credit: Andra Landi)

Nathan Herndon thoughtfully applies a splash of color to one of the picnic tables in the arts center’s community garden. (Photo Credit: Andra Landi)

Kids and families had an opportunity to paint a section of the picnic tables located in the community garden. (Photo Credit: Andra Landi)

From left to right: Arts center administrative assistant Cheylyn Grant and program coordinator Laura Link stand in the community garden located behind the building. (Photo Credit: Andra Landi)

The Arts Center In Orange held a reception for its 2023 “Young Visions” exhibit last Saturday, April 15. More than 100 people attended the annual celebration of Orange County’s young artists, highlighting the work of students from each of the local public school districts as well as Grymes Memorial School.

From noon to 2 p.m., community members viewed works of art on display in the Morin Gallery, enjoyed face painting by arts center director Anna Pillow and put their creative touches on picnic tables in the community garden. Guests mingled in a second gallery, where they could view the final day of glass artist Jon Larsen’s “Nature Personified” exhibit, and in the center’s free art reference library.

Ed Harvey, who serves as board president at The Arts Center In Orange, said that “Young Visions” is the exhibit he looks forward to most each year.

“I have to tell you, what got me interested in the arts scene in the first place is coming in and seeing these little kids — it puts a smile on my face when they create something and we were able to help,” he reflected, adding that the arts center has included the “Young Visions” exhibit in its programming for close to 20 years.

Harvey also said that introducing children to art at an early age is especially important as they are now growing up in the digital era.

“In my time, creativity was all you had,” he explained. “Now they’ve got so much stuff, they need to be brought back in to realize what creativity is and what they can do. Some people paint, some do charcoal, pottery, everything, but it gives them that individual spark that will help them for the rest of their lives.”

In addition, Harvey said that the program serves as a way of thanking local art educators for the work that they do in the community.

“The schools work really hard to teach art,” he said. “It doesn’t get much exposure, so this is a perfect thing for us to do. We support the schools any way we can; this is one of the ways we do that and we’re really happy it’s happening.” 

Seth Duncan, a senior at Orange County High School, was one of the students whose work is on display in the exhibit. He agreed about the importance of art in school and said that the art education he received in the Orange County school system has been vital to determining his career path. After graduating later this spring, Duncan plans to attend college for fashion design.

Scroll through the gallery above to view photos from Saturday’s event. To learn more about The Arts Center In Orange, including upcoming classes, programs and events, visit www.artscenterinorange.com or call (540) 672-7311. “Young Visions” will remain on display through Saturday, May 13.