Meet the Artists behind Barberton Community Foundation’s Student Art Gallery
Student Art Gallery
Barberton Community Foundation presents our second annual Student Art Gallery on view at the Foundation’s main meeting room through November 7, 2024. The pieces highlighted here are selected at the B-Art Student Art Show, highlighting students K-12 in Barberton City Schools. In partnership with White Rabbit Galleries, the Foundation selects 10 pieces for display, purchases the art from the students, and auctions the art at the Annual Dinner.
We invite the public to stop by and enjoy the artwork created by some of Barberton’s most talented young artists!
A special thank you to White Rabbit Galleries creative director Molly Brown and facility manager and art framer Jim Smith for finalizing these pieces.
18 years old, Graduated 2024
Studying Art Education at UA
Woman with the Rose
A freshman at The University of Akron majoring in Art Education, Kevin is on his path to being an art teacher. (Anyone noticing a theme with our students?) He loves both the visual arts and theatre, believing he could also see himself directing musicals. Regarding education as a major, Kevin said, “I want to give and share my love for art with the generations under me.”
For Kevin, art lives best when interpreted through story and imagination. “I love the storytelling of art,” Kevin said. “Art can tell a story, but also leaves room for the imagination. Some pieces of art are left for the viewer to decide what that story is, and the story can change depending on the experiences of the viewer.” For Woman with a Rose, Kevin hopes viewers are curious about who the woman is and where she is from.
Kevin works hard to overcome any challenges, saying he is inspired by struggles to want better for himself. He defines community as any group of people who can give back the same amount of love you give to them.
8 years old, Grade 2
Barberton Primary School
Cherry Blossoms
When she grows up, Liberty wants to be an art teacher! She said her family inspires her. She loves all the colors in art and was thinking about how much she enjoys the flowers in the springtime when she painted these cherry blossoms. When she thinks of community, Liberty thinks of visits to Lake Anna, Barberton Public Library and how much she loves Barberton!
Analia Marie Valencia
11 years old, Grade 5
Barberton Intermediate School
Goodyear on Vacation
Analia said she wants to be a doctor when she grows up, because she wants to help people. Her favorite thing about art is that you can make anything, and it can be art! Barberton’s community means a lot to Analia, especially when she thinks about how important her family, friends, and school are to her.
Above: Analia stands with her younger sister and Executive Director Josh Gordon at White Rabbit Galleries.
9 years old, Grade 3
Barberton Intermediate School
Floral Pastel
Nala said she wants to be an art teacher like Mrs. Norman when she grows up! (Shout out to Mrs. MaryElizabeth Norman at BIS!) She said making art inspires her and she loves thinking about and selecting the colors she’s going to use. She used the colors in this drawing because they make her happy, and she hopes these colors can make someone else happy, too. To Nala, community means family and having friends.
Alannah Murkins
17 years old, Grade 12
Barberton High School
Barbershop Pastels
Alannah is still deciding what she wants to do in her future, but she does know she wants to pursue something in art. Her mom, boyfriend, her art teacher Mrs. Waldow, and long-time friends inspire her to pursue her art.
Alannah loves the colors, storytelling, and techniques when making her art – such as using her pencil for small details. She wanted to create a calm city near the beach with warm sunset vibes. She said, “Community for myself means family and friends coming together to socialize with people you love or share the same interests with.”
17 years old, Grade 12
Barberton High School
Eiffel Tower Etching and Ocean
In the future, Aryanna wants to be an interior designer. She has always enjoyed rearranging her room and watching Fixer Upper with her grandma. Aryanna is inspired by her mother, and her art teachers, saying she is who she is today because of them. For her art, she likes using charcoal and showing trueness in nature. She enjoys art because it’s peaceful.
Regarding her Ocean piece, Aryanna said she had wanted to try creating 3D textured art for a while, so she purchased a canvas and plaster. Staring at the canvas, the ocean was the first thing she thought of. For the Eiffel Tower, she shared that she loves replicating architecture.
She loves spending time with her friends and family and enjoys helping out others in her community.
Natalie Snider
17 years old, Grade 12
Barberton High School
Alone in the Dark
For Natalie, art is about emotion. “I like conveying things through my artwork. I want others to know that other people have the same feelings and it’s okay to feel certain ways.” She added, “When I was working on this piece, I know that silence is something that helps me. I want others to feel at peace when they look at this drawing.”
Natalie wants to become a firefighter when she gets older. She is working toward that goal by training in the Firefighter/EMT Four Cities Compact. She shared, “When I was younger, I had a house fire and I want to be that person for other people.” Her family is what inspires her most. Cheer and softball also inspire her.
Community means a lot to Natalie. When she participates in community service projects, she thinks of all the people and places in Barberton that she cares about.
Haylee Zirkle
Grade 8
Barberton Middle School
Blue Jellyfish
Haylee wants to be a meteorologist when she grows up because she likes the science of weather. Haylee shared that she’s inspired by sea life, St. Croix and the U.S. Virgin Islands. She loves the colors in art, and also wanted to make this jellyfish as realistic as possible. When she thinks of community, she thinks of the places she enjoys visiting around Barberton.
Madison Wowra
16 years old, Grade 10
Barberton High School
Star – Ceramic, 3D
Madison says she wants to study cosmetology because she really wants to help people feel better about themselves. She is inspired both by her parents and the thought of failure. She loves the amount of emotion you can express through both art and music.
Regarding her piece, Madison says she just really likes stars and blue/green colors, so she knew exactly what she wanted to make in her ceramics class. To her, community is like one big family, because everyone in a community is linked in one way or another.
