High school students explore their ‘Creative Visions’ at Huntington Beach Art Center
- Share via
Melissa Anaya has always been interested in art, and soon she will have a venue in which to showcase her talents.
The Marina High School senior will have a marker and pen self-portrait, “Haircut,” on display at the “Creative Visions” exhibition at Huntington Beach Art Center, opening April 17.
“It just symbolizes the independence that I’ve had to inherit throughout my time at home, having to cut my own hair,” Anaya said of the portrait.
As for which pieces make the cut for the show, students from all six Huntington Beach Union High School District comprehensive high schools and one alternative school have had a say. They’re also curating it, based on eight weeks of instruction from art center staff on topics like theme development, jurying and artist statements.
On Monday, the students came to the center to discuss how they wanted to lay out the “Creative Visions” exhibition, which features an opening night student artist panel and runs through May 23.
Each district high school has its own theme for the show and area within the exhibition.
Mike Dowdell, in his third year as visual art facilitator for the district, said “Creative Visions” is now in its 26th year. But this more recent iteration, designed when Dan Faltz took over as executive director of the art center in 2024, gives the students significantly more input into the entire process.
Dowdell said the district has recently been emphasizing student ownership in the organization of the show.
“In the past, it’s really been teacher-driven — teachers just grab their best work, there’s no theme involved, we put it up salon style and fill the gallery with a ton of great artwork,” said Dowdell, who also teaches art at Marina.
“[But] this takes it to a different level, where you remove the teachers and it’s the students who have the authority and capacity to do all of this stuff. It’s great to see what each school comes up with.”
Kimberly Do, Huntington Beach Art Center’s learning and engagement coordinator, said things usually start falling into place for the students following the site visit.
Eric Broberg, a preparator who installs works for the art center‘s shows, demonstrated how he does his job. He said two weeks of turnaround time is standard for setting up an exhibition like this.
“It’s really cool that they actually get to apply what they learned in class in the real world,” Broberg said. “It’s something that I would have loved to have as a student. They had a healthy, productive debate on the order of the show. It was shocking how well they were working together.”
Each school is capped at 25 pieces for the show, for a total of 175 works, said Do, who’s been working with student artists from Fountain Valley High School.
“We guided them through the use of space, getting their input on how they want to show the artwork based on their goals for the visitor experience,” Do said. “We tried to take a back seat, because this is their show. We want to emphasize the student agency, allowing them to take ownership of their exhibition and the stories that they want to tell.”
Hadley Ruiz, a senior at Marina, submitted a charcoal on cardboard piece titled “Cutouts.”
“The program is really cool,” Ruiz said. “You know, it’s hard for students to get in an art show. This gives students an opportunity to show their pieces in a controlled environment.
“I think it’s cool that we do get the opportunity to decide where we want our pieces and how we want our pieces. It gives us a voice, on top of our pieces already being presented,” she continued. “It also gives people a chance to branch out. Some people could be really quiet in class, but in that environment, you get your own say in how everything is presented.”
A student from each district high school will participate in the panel on April 17.
Anaya is Marina’s representative.
“I don’t know what the questions are going to be, but I’m willing to take the risk,” she said with a laugh. “I’m willing to go in blind. I think it’s going to be really fun, and I’ve never really done anything like this, so it’s a good way to branch out.”
She is considering studying art history in college, and the “Creative Visions” program has certainly not tempered her enthusiasm for her passion.
“I might try to volunteer, if I can do something like this again,” Anaya said. “It’s really fun.”
