Aspiring artist are always looking for ways to exhibit their artwork. Even high school art students are proud of their creations and want to share them with the community. Zack Smithey and his AP Art Studio students realize this and began fund raising early Sept. to open a student-run art gallery. The gallery would be for high school students in the area to showcase their artwork. However, their efforts were shut down by the administration only a week into their fund raising because they didn’t have the required District approval.

“It’s all about being approved by the school District,” Assistant Principal Tony Grippi said. “Everything we do must be approved.”

Despite this setback, Smithey and his art students are not going to give up on the art gallery idea. They have decided to continue working to open art gallery independent from the school District.

“It’s a way to connect the public to upcoming high school artists,” Smithey said. “It will give students the experience to show art.”

Since the fund raising for the gallery cannot be conducted on school property, Smithey will be financially responsible for purchasing the building. The building he is currently looking at is for sale for $185,000 and Smithey would have to put a 20 percent down payment on it. The rest of the money needed to run the gallery will come from the students who volunteer to be a part of the gallery. These students must meet a fund raising quota to participate in the art shows or to sell items.

“Students who participate will have more experience in selling art and have more experience than many juniors and seniors in college,” Smithey said.

The main objective of opening the gallery is for the students to learn through experience. The students will be fully running the gallery with the guidance of Smithey.

”It is exciting but really expensive, and it’s a lot of hard work,” AP Art student Kayla Busby said. “It’s great that Smithey is doing this. He is giving us a chance for a better artistic future.”

Emily Forst