WORTHINGTON -- The Nobles County Art Center will once again be hosting the area student art show, which includes several participating school districts, starting today.
"This year we are pleased to have out-of-town representations from schools like Adrian and Round Lake-Brewster," said Nobles County Art Center director Martin Bunge. "We also have some very outstanding pieces from the WHS art department."
Worthington High School (WHS) art teacher Gail Holinka explained teachers begin collecting students' art work at the start of every school year. After every project, students participate in group critique sessions to determine which of their peers' work are suitable for the art show.
Once the students have provided their input, art department staff members finalize the selection process.
"We collect a good variety over the course of a year," she said.
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Today's show will display about 150 art pieces from WHS students and range from ceramics and sculptures to drawings, paintings and computer graphics.
"It's a good opportunity for students to showcase their work," Holinka said. "It's such an exciting time for them to stand back and share about their work with their friends and family.
"We display students' work in the class and in the hallway too but when it's in a gallery setting, it looks so professional," she continued.
Fellow art teacher Tessa Dierks explained that last year's show was her first experience organizing it as a new teacher.
"A lot of them are so talented and when I stood back and looked at how many hours went into the individual pieces, it amazed me," she added.
Participating students get to use their art show displays as a way to build their portfolio.
WHS senior Taylor Anderson will be starting his freshman year at North Dakota State University this fall.
"I want to be an art teacher," he said.
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Anderson's art piece, titled "Fracture of Time," portrays a cracked pocket watch and was designed during a still-life painting class.
"I figured I wanted to do something really tough," he said about his acrylic and water-color based work. "In the time frame I had, it was really challenging to get all the details right on the pocket watch."
Anderson, who transferred from Windom last year, explained that he has been taking at least two art classes each school year.
Rocia Gonzalez, a junior at WHS, chose to display a piece she drew after she was inspired by two things -- a movie and a song.
"I was inspired by the train from Harry Potter," she said.
"We listened to music -- 'Drops of Jupiter' by Train -- and tried to come up with imagery, too," Holinka added.
Unlike Anderson, Gonzalez does not want to pursue art as a career but intends to maintain it as a hobby. She credits a lot of her interest in art from watching her father draw.
"He's a really good artist but never wanted to follow it," she said. "Whenever I saw my dad's drawings, I was inspired to draw, too."
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The student art show is not judged, but some of the works on display will be available for sale.
A reception is scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. today at the Nobles County Art Center. The exhibit will continue until March 26.
Daily Globe Reporter Ana Anthony can be reached at 376-7321.
