A great opening...

Tonight I went to an opening at WVSA / SAIL, to see the DC YouthVision Arts Show, as described here: http://www.wvsarts.org/WVSA/gallery/events.html#3
My favorite part of the show, was a wall of photography done by the students at Community Preservation and Development Corporations’ Youth Gateway Program, who, under the instruction of photographer and educator Mr. Whipple, creates some beautiful portraits in and out of the studio. Each piece had a very telling story behind it, and the composition and lighting and execution for the images, given that the students were all from about 11 to 14 or so, was spectacular.

Also present were photograms, some hand colored as well, done by the students at The Latin American Youth Center’s Art & Media House. One piece, by Mohamed, was shown to me by the young artist himself, and he explained the process, working in the darkroom and putting objects on paper, using a light from a machine, and the amazing moment when the image appeared on the paper. Mohamed found the dark room a bit scary, but was amazed at the whole process. As a film purist, I must admit feeling a little glad that a 12 year old had seen the power of the dark room.

Wood pieces from the Covenant House Artisans' Program were also on display, and if I had a desk, I would have bought one of the intricate inalid business card holders. Each wood piece, box to table, had a very skilled finish as well as uniqe and ornamental inlaid decorations.

Read up on the exhibit and stop by to see it. You will be impressed by the quality and talented work that inspires from the minds of kids. We need to listen to them more often in this world.