Students Shine at Limelight Youth Art Exhibition

June 23, 2022

Academics

GNS

Ten GNS students recently had their artwork on display at the Limelight Youth Art Exhibition, which showcased work from young artists in Greater Victoria and was held at the Cedar Hill Recreation Centre from June 1 to 20.

Lizu Aitken ’23 had her oil pastel work title “Cross Over” included in the exhibition.

“My intention was to apply features that reflected my heritage and identity, such as the Asiatic architectural bridge,” she explained. “The setting is Butchart Gardens which has significant meaning to my family, mainly because it relates to my grandmother. The piece was architectural but also implemented realistic details, which I really enjoyed when making it, as it also tested my abilities. The symbolic aspect like the bridge reflects my interests as nature demonstrates my family’s values. In some ways, I’d say it gives off a calming and relaxing feeling.”

Being able to display her art at the show, Lizu said, was a great way to prepare her for the Grade 12 IB Art Exhibition.

“I think having my art in a show was a great experience to have and to get to know what it’s like for the future like in the Grade 12 IB Exhibition—even though it was only one piece,” she said. “I was also able to see other people’s work to get an idea of what styles of art were being made in the community and their inspirations.”

Deaton Pollock ’22 was another student who had a piece at the art show, titled “How Do You Want To Do This?” It is a portrait of Matthew Mercer, dungeon master for the Dungeon and Dragons web series Critical Role, made entirely out of the type of dice that are used in Dungeons and Dragons.

“Dice are a big part of Dungeons and Dragons, especially in combat where they can be the difference between a narrow victory and a crushing defeat,” Deaton explained. “It is why I decided to make my art piece out of dice as they are an important part of the game and why I decided to name my art piece after what Matthew Mercer says whenever the party takes down an enemy.”

Participating in the opening night reception, Deaton said, was a nice way to see the art of his peers.

“It was interesting to see the faces behind the artwork on display and to be able to ask the other artists about the meanings behind their art pieces face-to-face,” Deaton said.

Hannah Sawchuk ’22 had a 3D sculpture in the art show titled “Dual Identity” which was made out of clay and acrylic paint.

“I was worried it wouldn’t hold its own since it is just a small piece, but there were a lot of people who were interested in it,” said Hannah. “I thought it was really interesting. It was cool to be there and see everyone react and witness my art instead of just putting it up in the hallway—it felt more formal and like an artist.”

Mila Somogyi ’23 included a piece made with gouache paints on canvas titled “The Snake and the Princess,” based on a folktale from Japan.

“I was inspired by Japanese folklore because my grandma is from Japan, and she has taught me a lot about her culture, and I find it very fascinating,” Mila described. “The story depicts the love between a princess named Juro Hime, and a Daija from Onuma Lake. The king did not accept their love so the Daija used his power to flood the land. In the end, the princess died protecting her land and people and the Daija failed to protect her. When I heard the story, I had an image in my mind that I thought would be interesting to paint—I think my painting represents the feeling of protection.”

Having her piece at the art show, Mila said, was a special opportunity and she learned a lot from viewing the work of other artists.

“I got to see a range of different styles and preferences and was able to compare it to my work to see if I was creating pieces to the best of my abilities,” she said. “It felt nice to have my work on display for others to enjoy if they happened to enjoy the style and piece.”

Other Gryphons who had work on display included Savanna Yaremchuk ’22, Alice Li ’22, Kristina Kraft ’23, Sofia Hewlett ’23, Vita Thompson-Chang ’23 and Henry Yam ’23.