Amityville Student Artwork Hangs in Heckscher

As an outgrowth of the district’s Fine Arts program under the direction of Supervisor of Fine Arts Fran Fernandez, the Amityville Public School District is pleased to announce that two more of its students had their artwork selected for display in a public venue. The work of Crystal Vasquez, grade 11, and Aryanna Osorio, grade 9, was selected for display in the Heckscher Museum of Art in Huntington from April 11 through April 26th. Crystal also had the distinction of winning an award for her work in pastel. The competition, sponsored by the Heckscher Museum, is open to high school students from across Long Island; generally about 300 student works are entered and only about 80 are accepted.

The teachers in the Amityville Memorial High School art department submitted ten works of art that students created in response to artwork that they viewed while on a field trip to the museum. The students were able to create their pieces in any media and in any way they chose; the only requirement was that the artwork be connected in some way to a work from the museum's exhibition. Students chose to use a variety of media: acrylic paint, ceramics, chalk pastel, oil pastels, and mixed media. “The student work that we entered was very creative and represented very well the talent that we know and enjoy here in Amityville,” stated art teacher Lydia Robinson.

Crystal Vasquez
Inspiration Artwork: “Lovers” by Elizabeth Murray

Lovers inspired me because of the abstract composition and the darkness and lightness of it; it is filled with many different shapes and child-like qualities. As I looked closer, the “cat-like” shape on the bed intrigued me because it also looks like a pillow with a half heart. In my artwork I used pastels and a variety of value to recreate and enhance the child-like qualities that I admired.

Aryanna Osorio
Inspiration Artwork: “Niagara” by Joachim Richardt

I chose this piece because the texture and beauty of the painting really show the splendor and wonder of Niagara Falls. I was immediately reminded of my visit to Canada and the falls and I felt that this painting captured that amazing time for me. In my artwork, I wanted to express those feelings of wonder and I wanted to illustrate my other great interest, which is the creation of art.