There’s a lot of artistic talent in this city at the high school level.

At the Visual Paradise gallery exhibition, the 23 participating students from the Creative Arts Focus Program of the Limestone District School Board at Queen Elizabeth Collegiate each did about 30 pieces to contribute to the show, at 255 Princess St.

Due to space limitations at the former Very Shari store, only a fraction of their work is on display.

But one such piece of art that did make the show was an eclectic painting by 19-year-old student Kirsten English.

The multimedia painting is a portrait of a friend, but with English using different types of paint and colours, as well as string, glass, glitter and a mirror, it’s a feast for the eyes.

As well, the viewer of the piece can see themselves reflected in the mirror.

English’s work is just a small sampling of the art on display at the 47th biannual exhibition for the program, founded and run by art teacher Karen Peperkorn.

They also have a show, Art in the City, which takes place in June each year.

English, who graduated last year from Frontenac Secondary School, likes the freedom the program provides.

“I love how self-efficient we have to be and monitoring ourselves and working on our own like we don’t have a teacher after us,” said English.

“You have to be responsible for yourself and I think that’s really great. I think that’s something they don’t really teach in high school, but it’s something you need to have for university.”

She said she wants to be an interior designer and already works with her mother’s business.

“I work with my mother at her interior design company. I do a lot of work with her and it’s really wonderful,” she said.

English is one of six students whose portfolio granted her immediate entry in the Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD) in Toronto.

Nikola Sakell’s paintings stand out for their bold, bright colours. One of her works is a painting of a pair of bright red lips that almost spans a metre wide.

“I love bright colours,” said Sakell, 19, who’s also attending OCAD in the fall. “Colour and textures are probably the most important elements in any type of art in my perspective.

“I like when I put something on a wall and it really stands out and I think colour helps with that.”

The graduate of Kingston Collegiate has been painting since she can remember but took up the craft seriously when she entered high school.

“I started (painting) a lot more in Grade 9 and 10 and I can see my art progressing as I get older and learning new techniques, especially being in Karen’s class.”

She credits the art program with refining her talent.

“A lot of different media I didn’t work with because I didn’t know how, and learning techniques and how to do certain things definitely expands your knowledge in using different media.

“There were some things I didn’t know I could do, like powdered graphite and things like that, but it helped me realize I liked painting the best and that’s what I want to go into.”

The show is open and will run until Sunday, Jan. 26. Times are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

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Karen Peperkorn says a visit to the Creative Art Winter Show Visual Paradise is just the thing to bring someone out of the winter doldrums.

“The Visual Paradise idea is to get out and escape from the cold, nasty winter, which we really are having, and get into some place and make yourself smile for a few minutes by looking at nice things and creative ideas,” said Peperkorn, the program’s co-ordinator and founder of the Limestone District School Board Creative Arts Focus program, which is housed at Queen Elizabeth Collegiate.

Visual Paradise is the program’s 47th public exhibit. This show displays the work of first-semester students. The program also runs a show for the second-semester students, Art in the City.

Next year is the 25th anniversary for the program.

“I’m the only Focus program teacher left who is running the program they started,” Peperkorn said.

The students’ art is done in oil, acrylic, water colours, Gouache (similar to water colour), graphite and pencil, pen and ink and mixed media.

The program used to have its shows at the Fabricland location in the 100 block of Princess, but that space is undergoing renovations.

Keystone Property Management is donating the space for this exhibition.

For many years, the show was held in the Frontenac Mall but left due to a lack of foot traffic.

Being downtown is important so people can just walk in and view the free exhibition, said Peperkorn.

“People who would never normally go into an art gallery come in and they’re so happy because its free, it’s fun, it’s youthful and they get a nice little experience for 10 minutes and they leave with a smile on their face,” said Peperkorn.

“For the kids to be in the heart of downtown and get the interaction from that is just great.”

Nine students in her program presented their work at portfolio day at the Ontario College of Art and Design and six were given automatic acceptance into the program, as well as the Nova Scotia School of Art and Design.

The students in the program over the last couple of semesters have also designed posters and brochures for Sustainable Kingston and will design a stamp for the 200th anniversary of the birth of Sir John A. Macdonald.

Peperkorn wants the exhibition to be seen by many.

“Everyone is welcome to come in and get a boost in this grim weather we’re having to see some beautiful images, some fun images, and it doesn’t take very long, 15 minutes out of your day, to drop by.”

ian.macalpine@sunmedia.ca

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