Amherst County EXTEND Art Students Open Show at Sweet Briar

'Flower Pot' by Shane Purvis of Madison Heights Elementary

Students in the Amherst County Public Schools EXTEND program are getting ready to exhibit their original art works at Sweet Briar College this week. An opening reception from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3 will kick off the exhibition. The show will remain on display in Benedict Gallery through Jan. 24, 2010.

Amherst County Schools superintendent Brian Ratcliff will deliver opening remarks at 5 p.m. in Tyson Auditorium, which is adjacent to the gallery in the Benedict Hall lobby.

EXTEND — an abbreviation for Extra Time Exploring New Dimensions — is Amherst County’s gifted student program, which provides additional focused instruction and activities for selected students who excel in areas such as the visual or performing arts and other academic areas. Participants in the SBC exhibit, titled “Emerging Talent: Student Work from the Amherst County EXTEND Program,” are elementary through high school students from Amherst County Public Schools.

Julie Rogers, an assistant superintendent with Amherst County Schools, said the EXTEND students are devoted to their work, and put a lot of time and effort into it. “The young artists not only dedicate in-school hours to their interests, but they also spend countless after-school hours perfecting their craft,” she said.

Each student is eligible to submit work, which will represent a variety of media.

Karol Lawson, SBC director of galleries, is coordinating the show. The collaboration between EXTEND and the College provides students not only a venue for the show, she said, but also exposure to resources that Sweet Briar offers beyond its immediate community.

“The College’s art collection and art galleries are a cultural resource for our larger community as well as for the campus,” she said. “We are delighted to be able to give these talented young artists an opportunity to exhibit in a public gallery space. It is a joy to be able to encourage the students’ creativity and to help showcase the county’s program for gifted children.”

The exhibit will showcase drawings, paintings and sculpture, including a pencil drawing titled “My Grandfather and Grandmother” by fourth-grader Yazareth Ramirez at Amelon Elementary and a colored-pencil drawing titled “Flower Pot” by Madison Heights Elementary fifth-grader Shane Purvis.

'Panzer' linoleum block print by Drew Smith of Amherst Middle School

Students participating in this year’s EXTEND show are:

Matthew Cargill, Central Elementary School
Taylor Baker, Central Elementary School
Peyton Bryant, Amherst Elementary School
Yazareth Ramirez, Amelon Elementary School
Shane Purvis, Madison Heights Elementary School
Drew Smith, Amherst Middle School
Cypress Krieger, Amherst Middle School
Marissa Williams, Amherst Middle School
Mattie Ellis-Sales, Amherst Middle School
Colton Berry, Amherst Middle School
Danielle LaBar, Amherst Middle School
Mary Kate McCafferty, Monelison Middle School
Zach Peters, Monelison Middle School
Amanda Pettyjohn, Amherst County High School
Jesse Cole Best, Amherst County High School
Matthew Whitaker, Amherst County High School
Samantha Davis, Amherst County High School
Jerelle Morse, Amherst County High School
Katie McBride, Amherst County High School

'My Grandmother and Grandfather' pencil drawing by Yazareth Ramirez of Amelon Elementary School.

Benedict Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, although it will be closed except by special arrangement during the holiday break from Dec. 23 to Jan. 3. Admission is free. For more information, e-mail “klawson @ sbc.edu” (remove spaces and quotes) or call (434) 946-6247.