BY JOHN SNYDER
OF PASCACK PRESS
WESTWOOD—Congratulations to 14 talented young artists from the Westwood Regional School District who have their art exhibited this month at Westwood Gallery.
Their works, collectively the Seventh Annual WWRSD Has heART, which debuted Feb. 6 at a jam-packed artists reception, answer the prompt, “What inspires you?”
Overwhelmingly the answer appears to be love—for the Earth, role models, family and friends, self, and romantic others—and in one piece, it’s felt as a kindergartener’s dance of color, lift, and swirl.
As a whole, the pieces, culled from a pool of more than 140 diverse submissions, speak to the healing power of art.
Representing outstanding artists in grades K–12, the works leverage techniques showcasing the depth and breadth of the WWRSD Art Department curriculum in Westwood and the Township of Washington.
The mounted pieces seemed right at home at project partner Westwood Gallery, at 10 Westwood Ave., which specializes in custom framing, vintage posters, designer mirrors, art restoration, and photographs.
The artists signed prints, received certificates and sketchbooks, and took their cheers and applause.
And the event is a charitable showcase as well, with prints and note cards of the images sold to benefit ArtWorks, the Englewood-based Naomi Cohain Foundation, which provides children and young adults access to creative arts programs for healing, communication, and self-expression.
According to ArtWorks Director Laura Langley, who spoke at the event, WWRSD Has heART has benefitted ArtWorks for the past five of its seven years, raising more than $4,000 for the organization—that’s 100 percent of the profits—and yielding more than 100 donated art supplies.
“It’s a huge, huge help,” Langley said of the partnership. “It’s a priceless thing that they do for us in continuing to support our organization. We’re all together making a difference in the lives of children facing illness.”
The event saw district art teachers beaming along with district administrators, families, and Westwood Gallery owner Michael Fitzsimmons, who took to the high ground of his desk to photograph the winners with their work and the happy mob below.
Teachers are Pamela Duffus, who inaugurated the event seven years ago; Ariel Rudin; Michele Keller; Michelle Stoute; Lynda Panno; Lesley Fowks; Karen Bloch; Stacey Becan; and Barbara Portelli.
The artists are Nico Zaccone, 3rd grade, George School; Abigail Hill, sophomore; Aiden Guglielmotti, 5th grade, Berkeley School; Taylor Hirstius, senior; Antonia Cordo, junior; Elisabeth Maul, 5th grade, Brookside School; Laviana Losito, kindergarten, George School; Beverly Alvarado, 4th grade, Berkeley School; Cole Wiecenski, 4th grade, Brookside School; Peter Di Blasi, 1st grade, Washington School; Isabella Lo Piccolo, 6th grade, middle school; Claire Eo, 8th grade, middle school; Daniel Paolucci, 2nd grade, Washington School; Rhianna Rivera, 7th grade, middle school; and Za’myah Hairston, age 7, ArtWorks participant.
A committee of administrators and art educators had selected the 14 winning images.
ArtWorks singled out Hill for special recognition—in addition to her winning entry, it was her strong, socially aware heart-and-people poster—which she created in pen and watercolor as a freshman—that brands this year’s event.
Hill, from Westwood, attending with her brother, parents, and grandparents, said she wants to attend art school and possibly pursue the arts as a career.
Asked what advice she has for anyone who has the urge to create but might lack confidence, she said, “Just keep going and you’ll see improvement every day.”
Fitzsimmons called up Alvarado for an additional award, saying of her immersive textured coral and turquoise illustration of a heart that it was professional and evocative.
“I could sell that all day long,” he said, adding that a visiting artist agreed.
- 8-in. x 10-in. prints by all the artists in the show can be purchased for $5 at Westwood Gallery or from Pamela Duffus atpamela.duffus@wwrsd.org.
- 5-in. x 7-in. note cards are also available at one for $3, five for $10 (mix and match), and all 14 images for $20.
- This year, magnets are available for $4 or three for $10, and
- T- shirts at $15.
The show runs through Feb. 28. For more information, visit westwoodartgallery.com or call (201) 666-1800.