Artistry in the Alpert Jewish Community Center
Picture of Mrs. Ingrid-Palsgrove, Jacob Short, Mariah Sainz, Grace Vasquez, Lindsey Yates, Sophia Martt, and Mrs. Bailey.
April 6, 2022
Showcasing wonders of pure creativity and natural artistry, the Alpert Jewish Community Center (JCC) hosted its 37th Annual Norman Gottlieb Student Art Exhibition. Once again, the Gatov Gallery and Long Beach Unified School District collaborated to curate a sample of middle and high school art. The installation was founded by past AJCC President Norman Gottlieb and was available for viewing from Mar 3-31 at the JCC on E Willow st.
Millikan art teachers Mrs. Bailey and Mrs. Ingrid-Palsgrove selected students Jacob Short, Lindsey Yates, Grace Vasquez, Sophia Martt, Lindsay Gurasich, and Mariah Sainz to display their work at the JCC. The exhibit’s recognition ceremony was held on Mar. 24 at the JCC where three middle school students and three high school students were presented with various awards.
Inspired by the portrait paintings of Kehinde Wiley, COMPASS senior Grace Vasquez secured second place with her piece titled “Hidden Royalty.”
“I wanted to channel someone who I looked up to,” stated Vasquez. “That ended up being my local street vendors who I translated in Wiley’s style.”
Her painting depicts a street vendor standing beside their cart upon an intricate gold and red background. This opportunity provided by the school has allowed for Grace Vasquez to gain certainty in her artwork.
“At first I was a little self conscious, I’ve now learned to have more confidence in myself and my work. It wasn’t until I got back the notice of my qualification that I started to believe I could make it this far.”
The evening of the award ceremony was filled with a collective appreciation of the artists and their pieces. Attendees were able to bask in the imagination and skills of each artwork.
“It was honestly really rewarding to see how much the adults and board members seemed to care about the arts,” said Vasquez. “It was very inspiring and it definitely sparked something within me.”
Through the judgment of a committee of board members, Sophia Martt won first place and a $100 gift card to the “Art Supply Warehouse.” Grace Vasquez sealed second place and a $50 gift card. Mariah Sainz and Jacob Short received the award for honorable mentions.
Additionally, Millikan art teacher Mrs. Bailey won the Aspiring Art Educator award from this event.
“The award made me feel very validated in my passions and in how I foster my kids’ creativity,” said Mrs. Bailey. “My own teaching got seen through the students’ artwork. It felt like a win for myself and all of the students.”
Ultimately, this collaborative experience allowed for many to cherish the beauty of the arts and the creative community that comes with it.
Jacob Short • Apr 13, 2022 at 11:49 am
Dear Corydon Editor,
In Issue 6/2022 (published April 6, 2022), Kassie Sainz wrote an article titled “Artistry in the Alpert Jewish Community Center.” The article discusses the Millikan art students that were featured in a local all-district art show. As being one of the artists featured in this show, it was an extremely rewarding experience. Unknown to most, our artworks had to go through a panel of art teachers who judged the artwork, who then chose five pieces to give to the JCC Board of Directors. Those directors then judged the artwork themselves, giving awards where they deemed fit. For so many qualified artists and teachers to appreciate our work as much as they did, I can speak for all of the artists in the photo that this is definitely a show that we won’t forget. I hope that we all gain motivation to keep creating art from this experience, and hope that we have inspired other artists in our school to work hard and achieve greatness. The visual arts program at our school is truly great. This is thanks to the many art teachers—such as Ms. Bailey and Mrs. Palsgrove—who really put in the work and effort in making sure that all Millikan artists can create what they want to create without having to worry about materials or lack of technical knowledge. Thank you for shedding light on the Millikan visual arts community!
Sincerely,
Jacob Short, Grade 11
phoebe machan • Apr 13, 2022 at 11:15 am
In Issue 6/2022 (published April 6, 2022), Kassie Sainz wrote an article titled “Artistry in the Alpert Jewish Community Center?” The article discusses the JCC art show and the talented people who participated. As an artist myself, I greatly appreciate the credit given to these talented students. The JCC is a very big show, and the fact that Millikan got most of the awards, again, is a huge deal. I love that Kassie discussed Grace’s piece and gave more insight to the deeper meaning of the piece. Grace’s piece was truly beautiful and really showed her technical ability. The artist statement is a huge part of the submission process for shows like these, and highlighting parts of these statements is a great way to learn more about the artist and the piece. I do have one question though. What was the meaning behind Sophia’s piece? It would be cool to know her thought process and understand the first place piece a little better too! All in all, thank you Kassie for writing about the beautiful artworks made by those selected for the JCC, and thank you for discussing what goes on in the art programs here at Millikan.
Sadie Rick • Apr 11, 2022 at 2:45 pm
April 11, 2022
Dear Corydon Editor,
In Issue 4/11/22 (published April 6, 2022), Kassie Sainz wrote an article titled “Artistry in the Alpert Jewish Community Center.” The article discusses the artists who won awards for their work, and highlights the thoughts of the artists. I love that the author has written an article about the visual arts community at Millikan! Millikan’s art students are extremely talented and dedicated, and they produce absolutely incredible works of art. Grace Vasquez’s piece is amazing to look at, and it was interesting to read the thought process and inspiration behind it. It is very encouraging to know that the school board is supportive of the arts, and that there are people willing to showcase the works of high school artists in general. The arts programs are usually known for being underfunded compared to other programs, so shows and exhibitions are appreciated. One thing I am curious about is whether the exhibition included the artists’ statements written by the students, since the only pieces of paper visible in the photos are the titles and dimensions of the works. It would be amazing to see more coverage of art shows and exhibitions in the future!
Sincerely,
Sadie Rick, Grade 11