THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 18, 1996 TAG: 9602160235
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PHYLLIS SPEIDELL, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Long : 117 lines
WITH THE AROMA of hot pizza and the excited chatter of more than 75 teenagers, there was nothing sedate or stuffy about the opening of the 1996 version of Exhibit of Excellence.
The young artists' exuberance shone through in their work, according to Juror Roderic A. Taylor, professor of art and head of the Fine Arts Department at Norfolk State University.
``They are not hampered by stereotypes or by trying to impress anyone,'' Taylor said, praising the creativity and craftsmanship of the students' work.
The Exhibit of Excellence, on display at Suffolk Museum during February, includes 78 works from 52 sophomores, juniors and seniors at the city's public and private high schools. The show is sponsored by the Suffolk Art League, in cooperation with the Suffolk Fine Arts Commission.
Taylor selected the exhibited works from 231 pieces submitted by 77 students. ``There were lots of things we had to leave out only because we only had so much room,'' he said.
A love of wild animals and a talent for capturing their images on paper led Jason Shutz to first prize. Jason, a senior at Nansemond River, had all three of his entries hung, including a colored pencil drawing of a brilliant green tree frog so vivid that it seemed ready to leap off the wall.
Although Jason has been drawing as long as he can remember, art is still a hobby and probably not a career choice. ``I do people sometimes, but I prefer to do animals because I know the techniques,'' he said.
Geraint Krumpe, a senior at Nansemond-Suffolk Academy, does plan to pursue art as a career. He will attend Virginia Commonwealth University in the fall as an art major and hopes to take a variety of courses until he decides where his major artistic emphasis will be. Geraint's finely crafted pencil and pen images were so precise that one student remarked that Geraint could also be a great tattoo artist.
A standout among the wide variety of mediums was a wire sculpture entitled ``Melancholia.'' Amber Jo Daniels, a Lakeland senior, created the female figure with a body of spiraled wire and a head modeled from a Mardi Gras mask.
Even with a thatch of blue yarn hair, the figure's delicate facial features and bright eyes bore a striking resemblance to the artist herself. Amber had not noticed the similarity but admitted ``I have always wanted my hair blue.''
Amber's other work in the show was a computer graphic, a protrait of a friend entitled ``Garden of John.'' Although her work was not recognized with an award this year, Amber placed second last year and hopes to find a career that combines art and computers.
Taylor, as well as exhibit coordinators Linda Bunch and Dana Adams, stressed to the artists that a lone judge decided the awards. Another juror might have judged the show differently.
Said Taylor: ``I always tell them don't take this as a failure, but just as one little roadsign along the way.''
The Exhibit of Excellence was started by the Suffolk Art League in 1985 at Adams' urging. ``The number of local students who could get into the regional art shows was very small and we felt that we should be doing something for our kids here,'' Adams said.
``It is difficult for some young artists to take a risk and expose their feelings through art when, at that age, they are so protective of themselves. It is always scary to risk rejection.''
Barbara West, art teacher at Lakeland, agreed that going through the whole juried process was beneficial for young artists. ``It is one time when they get to find out what it takes to prepare work for a show,'' she said. MEMO: Suffolk Museum, at 118 Bosley Ave., is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tuesday through Saturday, and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Call 925-6311.
ILLUSTRATION: Amber Jo Daniels' wire sculpture ``Melancholia'' is on display.
Students from N-SA enjoy pizza in the lobby of Suffolk Museum.
Staff photos by MICHAEL KESTNER
Jason Shutz, a senior at Nansemond River High School, took first
place.
WINNING ARTISTS
First place: Jason Shutz, Nansemond River High School
Second place: Geraint Krumpe, Nansemond-Suffolk Academy
Third place: Yukari Tao, Nansemond-Suffolk Academy
Honorable mention: Jennifer Chambers, Katherine Stewart,
Nansemond-Suffolk Academy; Kim Griffin, Ray Miltier, Eric Nelson,
Nansemond River High School
PAST WINNERS: WHAT THEY'RE DOING NOW
Several Exhibit of Excellence first-place winners from former
years have continued to work in fields related to art.
Emily Knick Andrews, who won in 1988 with three pencil drawings
of glassware, graduated from Longwood College in 1993 with a major
in graphic design, drawing and printmaking. In her current job as a
graphic artist with a Virgnia Beach firm that produces multi-media
computer-based training programs, Andrews does mostly animation and
computer graphics.
``When I won it was a big surprise because it was the first time
I had entered anything,'' Andrews said. ``But it encouraged me and
after that I decided that I wanted to continue in art.''
Kevin Bullock, now 21 and employed by Amadas Industries as a
sheet metal worker, won the competition in both 1990 and 1992 while
he was at Suffolk High School. Bullock has a studio set up in his
home and still works in pastels.
Wayne Hodge earned first place honors when he was a senior at
Nansemond River High School in 1994. After a year at the School of
the Art Insititute in Chicago, Hodge transferred to Virginia
Commonwealth University where he is majoring in sculpture.
After graduation Hodge hopes to go back to Chicago for graduate
studies, combining sculpture with performance art.
Virginia Harry was a sophomore at Nansemond-Suffolk Academy when
she won in 1991. A sociology and education major at Randolph-Macon,
Harry wants to become a primary school teacher. Art has remained a
favorite hobby, something she enjoys working with when she is at
home and has time to relax.
by CNB