VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Students in Hampton Roads are expressing themselves through original artwork on display now at Virginia Wesleyan University.
Curator John Rudel says the exhibit, called “Healing and Hope,” was originally inspired by the mass shooting last May in Virginia Beach.
“We decided to open up the theme to much broader notions of healing and hope," Rudel said. “We had students dealing with personal issues, students dealing with the environment, students dealing with gun violence.”
More than 80 students from about a dozen local high schools submitted different forms of art, interpreting the assignment in a number of different ways to create an outlook of hopefulness.
"Clearly there’s a lot of young voices out there that want to be heard," said Rudel. “And this venue kind of confirms for them that they have a voice and that their voice should be heard.”
Rudel hopes the exhibit will prove to these young artists they can communicate and even affect change through art.
The exhibit is open through December 13 at the Neil Britton Art Gallery on the campus of Virginia Wesleyan University. It’s free and open to the public.
The featured high schools and organizations include Bayside High School, First Colonial High School, Granby High School, Great Bridge High School, Kellam High School, Indian River High School, Maury High School, Ocean Lakes High School, Princess Anne High School, Southampton High School, Teens with a Purpose, The Governor’s School, and Tidewater Collegiate Academy.