Artistic talent expands beyond school walls

This painting entitled Toothbrush was created by junior Pooja Nitturkar.

Photo by Natalia Cardenas

This painting entitled “Toothbrush” was created by junior Pooja Nitturkar.

Color and creativity of students all throughout Irvine are shown at the High School  Art Exhibition and Imagination Celebration Display at The Irvine Fine Arts Center from May 1 to the 30.

As part of the Imagination Celebration, a county-wide organization, this exhibition is one of the many activities the group is hosting to honor art, dance and music.

This exhibition features the art of students from schools throughout the Irvine Unified School District. It showcases the most brilliant creations of many talented students including  paintings, photographs and even sculptures. Woodbridge High is the school with the largest number of works presented, as 34 pieces from students on campus are displayed at the exhibition.

“The students are really, really talented. We have artists in all of our classes, and even they are impressed by all of the work of the students in the exhibition and the caliber and quality,” Fine Arts Center Operations Coordinator Sonia Buttress said.

One particular piece named “Toothbrush” painted by junior Pooja Nitturkar, shows a girl completing the routine task of brushing her teeth in the morning. Nitturkar said she feels painting is a creative way to show something as ordinary as brushing your teeth as interesting.

“‘Toothbrush’ was an interesting piece; I created it for my AP art portfolio. I was trying to find a way to portray the emotions and mood around basic everyday activities,” Nitturkar said about her piece.

The exhibition features not only paintings but also  more unique forms of art. Some artists chose to incorporate cloth into their paintings, as  seen in the watercolor painting “Polar Bears” by senior Angela Chung from Crean Lutheran High.

“Being in the exhibition has been great. I’m very grateful that I’m able to show my work and my passion to those around me. It’s also been really cool to see everyone else’s art and seeing how everyone’s style has evolved and developed and seeing the same thing in my artwork,” Nitturkar said.

The exhibition was judged for a first, second and third place winner. In first place came a drawing, “La Note In Sogno” by senior Hyojin Im of Crean Lutheran High. In second place came “The Creators” by senior Jessica Panat of Northwood High, and in third came “Waiting for” by Junior Lucy Park from Crean Lutheran High.

The exhibition will be at the Irvine Fine Arts Center,14321 Yale Ave  until May 30.