Fresh Perspectives

Students take over art center with two shows

By Chip Rowe

At 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24, the Garrison Art Center will host a joint reception for its annual School Invitational Theme Exhibition (SITE), Inside the Outsiders, and works by high school students participating in its Mentor Program. Both shows continue through March 4.

SITE is a collaboration between the art center and schools in Putnam, Dutchess, Westchester, Orange and Rockland counties. It began in 1994 and this year includes students from the Garrison School, Haldane Elementary, Haldane Middle School, Beacon High School, John Jay High School in Hopewell Junction, Kennedy Catholic High School in Somers, and Peekskill High School.

Each year the art center offers a theme for teachers to present to their students, then selects works to display at the art center. This year the focus was on self-taught artists. For many students, SITE is the first opportunity they have to see their work in a gallery.

The art center also will open its annual Mentor Program exhibit with artwork by 12 high school students who, with the help of professional artists, each complete an independent project in art, architecture, design and/or the performing arts. The program began in 1988.

The student participants this year are Harsha Philip (Briarcliff), Nina Ansaldi (Yorktown), Emma Galantich (John Jay), JoAnna Galbo (Beacon), Andrew Mark (John Jay), Debora Martinez (Peekskill), Katerina Merendino (Ketcham), Makena Mohl (John Jay), Grace Sanker (Beacon), Joseph Song (John Jay), Tyler-Tyrel Winston (Beacon) and Michelle Yannarelli (John Jay).

The mentors are Ada Pilar Cruz, Rick Price, Rob Penner, Hildreth Potts, Sheryl Levine, Lori Merhige, Jenny Bender Stasikewich, Erin Murphy Doan, Andrea Lenci-Cerchiara, Stephen Rose, Barbara Smith Gioia and Thomas Huber.

The galleries at the Garrison Art Center are open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit garrisonartcenter.org or call 845-424-3960.