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The media are richly varied.

Among them are acrylics and watercolors, oil paintings and pencil illustrations, experimental and traditional photographic prints, computer-generated works and sculpture constructed of metal and other things.

“There are many different kinds of art,” says Christopher Varner, 20, of Pittsburgh, “but they all have one thing in common — creativity and passion.”

The student of Oakbridge Academy of Arts in Lower Burrell is talking about the school’s “Faculty & Student Expressions” exhibit that continues through Sunday in the gallery at Penn State New Kensington campus.

“If you want to support hardworking, young artists and are interested in seeing all kinds of creativity, then this is an art show you wouldn’t want to miss out on,” says the enthusiastic Varner, who is represented with two photographs.

There’s also opportunity to talk to some of the artists in person in a free reception from 6 to 8 tonight in the gallery.

The show’s title represents each artist’s individual theme, explains Cliff McGuire of Vandergrift, head of the visual design department and exhibit coordinator.

“Our faculty is an outstanding group of individuals who work in their related field and bring new technology, excitement, emotion and expression to our open classrooms,” he adds.

Each faculty member has work in the show. McGuire’s is an acrylic on canvas using nature as his primary subject. “I paint in a very ultra realistic style. Nature is so perfect and trying to re-create the emotion of the moment is my challenge,” he says.

The importance of personal expression cannot be overestimated, he says. “Every human being needs an outlet of expression, whether it is music, written words, visual art or craft, all of us are enriched by the experience,” McGuire says.

“It is essential that everyone voices their perspectives on life,” says Aaron McGregor of North Huntingdon, Oakbridge’s director of education and head of the photography department.

Exhibiting is “extremely important” for students, part of the lesson of becoming an artist, he suggests.

He is represented with traditional black-and-white and sepia-tone photographic prints and an oil painting. “They share the common theme of the human impact on nature,” he says.

Oakbridge visual design instructor Mark Klinger of Lower Burrell says he enjoys the many ways in which art can be shared with people, and the life an image can take on after it is created. He sees this in his own work as a scientific illustrator, some of it found in this exhibit, with the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.

Student Brett Guerra, 21, of Tarentum, who has seven paintings on display, says he appreciates the opportunity to exhibit.

“Who doesn’t want to share how they tick with the interested and curious public?” he asks. “Above everything, I want to instill a feeling in people who see my work, not something that words can describe.”

He looks at exhibiting as a learning experience.

“There will always be someone more talented and more accomplished than you, so when you get the opportunity to see your work next to theirs, human nature kicks in,” Guerra says. “You begin comparing and contrasting their techniques and mental processes with your own. It can be incredibly humbling and also incredibly helpful.”

Corey Smith of Plum can relate. “To be able to do what I love to do and to let people view it in galleries is fantastic,” he says. He is represented with a selection of photos, a metal sculpture and a variety of acrylic and mixed media paintings.

“I love being able to take what is around me and what happens in my life and express it in my own way through my artwork,” he adds.

That freedom is important to Tara Wray, 20, of Natrona Heights. who has a wide variety of art, from photos to sculpture, in this exhibit.

“I love the freedom to express myself in different ways,” she says. “I hope when people look at my work that it makes them rethink things in the world, rethink the norms.”

“Art gives you the opportunity to throw rules and inhibitions out the window and present the world as you see it to other people,” says Allyson Enciso, 19, of New Kensington, who has seven untitled photographs in the show.

“In all of my personal works, I hope to make the viewers question the definition of beauty, and perhaps see that it is found in unexpected places and mediums.”

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Source: Pittsburgh Tribune Review

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New exhibit shows off the creativityof students, faculty at Oakbridge ©2010 Oil Paintings Market News