June 12, 2009 — Art Thursday is a social time for many people. The second Thursday of the month they walk the streets of Christiansted, visit the art shops and talk. The talk may be about any number of things. However, there was only one topic Thursday — how good the art work on display at Danica Art Gallery was.
Featured in the "Senior Retrospective" at the gallery were works of senior art students who just graduated or will be seniors in the fall. They are students at St. Croix Educational Complex in Niarus Benjamin-Walker’s fine arts class and Kristin Duncan and John Jones’s classes at St. Croix Central High school.
"This is a really good opportunity to display our artwork," said Maria Ghirawoo, a recent graduate of Central High who wants to become a graphic designer. "People get to know your work at a show like this. I'm glad when people think my art is good enough to purchase." One of Ghirawoo's works on display was an acrylic self-portrait done in shades of purple.
The art for sale included self-portraits, abstract prints, scenes, scratch art, and works in other media. The students' creations were done in charcoal, colored pencils, tempera, oil pastels and acrylic.
Gallery owner Danica David, frequently opens her gallery to show the works of budding young artists from local schools. David is also the art teacher at Eulalie Rivera Elementary School.
"There is so much talent here," David said. "The students do a remarkable job. There is unlimited creativity that is brought out with guidance from good teachers." David said she hopes to do the show annually at the Art Walk in June.
"Art is like the birth of a new thing for me," said Nicholas Henry student from Complex. "Art is the best class of the day."
Henry had a 22- by 30-inch self-portrait in shades of brown on display. The portrait was done in the style of the renowned American painter Chuck Close, who paints portraits with little squares in a large grid; the work looks abstract close up but the portrait emerges from farther away.
The works will be on display at the gallery on Company Street in the Luncheria courtyard until June 25. The hours are Wednesday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information about the show, call the gallery at 719-6000.
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