Emma Nolan, Reporter
@emman_courant
As students stripped the walls of their artwork from the winter art gallery, NCHS artists and art teachers were busy preparing for the next gallery, “This is Us: Defining Our Heritage”, which premieres Wednesday, March 11. In response to the gallery’s theme, students of all grades submitted artwork to creatively express their heritage, home life, and a variety of formative influences.
In addition to submitting artwork, students, such as senior Corinne Vietorisz and sophomore Amy Chu, worked on the gallery committee to organize and prepare for the premiere.
Corinne, who like Amy serves as coordinator and receptionist for the upcoming gallery, aims to improve the gallery experience for viewers. “I’ve been involved with every show since last year, so this one has been a continuation of the effort we’ve been putting in for all of them,” Corinne said. “I wanted to be a part of this show for the same reasons I’ve wanted to be a part of all of them, to promote the art community at the high school and display all the amazing artwork our artists have created”
By serving on the gallery committee, Amy and Corinne have a say and an impact on how the show is run. “I think NCHS chose heritage as their theme because the idea of identity appealed to them,” Amy said. “There’s so much emphasis on the student body that sometimes the idea of individualism gets lost, and now we have a chance to showcase our own identifications.”
Like Amy and Corinne, many students participated in the gallery for the experience of sharing their artwork and expressing their backgrounds. “I wanted to be a part of this art show because I love the theme,” sophomore Brooke Holland said. “It inspired me to share my work with others.”
Similarly, sophomore Ellery Baran contributed artwork to express her cultural pride. “My favorite piece that I submitted is the photo of Gracie Gold who was a 2014 Sochi Olympian,” Ellery said. “This picture screams America and ‘our heritage’ with her sitting on a car waving, representing our country.”
Other students, like junior Anthony Marciano, emphasized different, defining aspects of their lives through their artwork. Anthony chose to express his passion for hockey. “Hockey is a big part of who I am, so putting this picture in the show defines me,” he said.
Members of the NCHS arts community agree that the gallery’s theme of defining heritage encompasses a vast range of cultural aspects. “The high school gallery partnered with The Wilburn Fellowship because they liked that theme and the mission,” Amy said. “The Wilburn Fellowship encourages the understanding of diversities in our community.”
As the premiere date of “This is Us: Defining Our Heritage” nears, gallery committee members and artists are hopeful for the gallery’s success. “What’s expected for this art show is a wide variety of immensely diverse work, and a display of what people’s heritage means to them,” Corinne said. “I think people will take away from this show that each person has a different story to tell, and I think the artwork reflects that.”
