Just weeks after the Paris climate talk and COP21, TL Visual Art Students celebrated their creative expression and perceptions of their changing world at the opening reception of their new exhibition: Metamorphosis: Explorations of Climate Change by Visual Art Students at Terra Linda High School. San Rafael-based art center Art Works Downtown (AWD) organized collaborative Climate Change exhibitions in their galleries to inspire stewardship of the planet by showcasing a diverse range of artists’ visions of adaptation and responses to our changing environment. TL Visual Art Students were invited to be a part of this collaborative effort organized by Art Works Downtown (AWD), The Baum Foundation, and the Environmental Youth Forum to focus local perceptions on the complex relationship of environment and our changing world in a series of related talks and exhibitions that highlight this important issue within our community in Marin, January - February 2016.
Metamorphosis explores the natural environment and personal perceptions of our students, and the inter-connectedness of their changing world.Transformation, alteration, and adaptation are explored in works created in a variety of media by our Visual Art students.
On the eve of the closing of TL's Metamorphosis exhibit this weekend, reflection informs the importance of such exhibition opportunities for our aspiring young artists. For many of our young artists, it was their first public exhibition of their work, and opportunity to share their creative expression with an audience beyond their campus. "Metamorphosis was a powerful opportunity for their individual expression to become part of a larger voice of artists in their community addressing an important global issue that they will face in their adult lives." said Katy Bernheim, TL Visual Art Teacher. "It is so wonderful to see TL students with their families and our community sharing their work and expression through a lens of environmentalism along with other artists in the community, " said Stan Gibbs, Program Director, AWD. TL Visual art students were so proud taking pictures and enjoying visitors appreciating their work and joining in conversation about art, environment and community with a diverse audience.
Also, the opening reception was not only a celebration of their work, but an opportunity for our students and their families to explore companion exhibitions and perceptions by artists exploring the same subject in the anchor exhibition: Climate Change in the main gallery at AWD. The opening reception for Metamorphosis was timed to be apart of the monthly 2nd Friday ArtWalk celebration, anchored by Art Works Downtown galleries and artist studios links art venues along downtown Fourth Street the second Fridays of each month. Our students and TL community also had the opportunity to enjoy galleries, open studios, art exhibits, live music and refreshments in downtown San Rafael. Our students got to see art as a viable career path by visiting the many open studios and galleries. This monthly celebration drew wonderfully diverse audiences to see our students work and engage in a community of art and environment in our community. "I love to see the TL students and their families so proud and taking selfies with their child's art!" said Maya Bartolf, Chair of Academic Excellence and creator of the Art Beyond TL, a visual art enrichment Program at TL.
So many students, families, friends, alums, and members of the TL Community came out to celebrate and support Metamorphosis and our visual art students. Fellow art teachers from a variety of schools in Marin popped in to congratulate our students and wonderful art teachers. Students found it meaningful to see such community support and also were proud to see many adult alums stop by and share their memories of their art classes and TL experiences in the good old days!"I love that TL art students have this opportunity, and that the programs seems to be thriving.." said "Bebe", Professional Fine Artist and TL Alumna, exhibiting in the anchor exhibit: Climate Change in the AWD's 1337 Gallery.
Our hats-off to our students and our incredibly dedicated art and photography teachers Katy Bernheim, and Allsion Oropallo, for pulling together such an amazing art show. A HUGE thank you to our friends and partners at Art Works Downtown for creating such a wonderful opportunity for our visual art students at TL! Many thanks to the parent volunteers of Academic Excellence@TL who coordinate the details and work to develop the Art Beyond TL enrichment program for our students so that more opportunities to share their work and learn from the art of sharing creative expression with their community.