Students share their ‘Light During COVID’ through art

The online exhibit replaces the annual Isla Art-a-Thon, which has been hosted by the UOG Isla Center for the Arts since 1997 as a fundraiser for art programs in schools and the Isla Center. The exhibition eliminated the fundraising component for this year but remained an outlet to encourage young artists and enrich the community with their work. 

“We knew that we needed to shift and adapt in order to fulfill our mission of exhibiting art for the community. However, through the challenges, we found opportunities — to provide an outlet for our young artists to share how they have been coping and also to potentially share their expressions of art with a global audience in a virtual environment,” said Velma Yamashita, coordinator of the Isla Center for the Arts and an associate professor of art. 

The exhibit also includes a series of short art tutorials created by UOG art students. The how-to videos walk viewers through the processes of drawing a face, creating cartoon animal characters, and creating papier-mâché clay, while others teach the basics of color theory, shading, and light. 

The art pieces of the following students were selected as the top submissions: 

Elementary School: 
1. Inatan Leon Guerrero Dunn, 4th Grade, M.U. Lujan Elementary School
2. Savannah Quidachay, 5th Grade, Daniel L. Perez Elementary School
3. Grayson Acfalle, 2nd Grade, Marcial Sablan Elementary School

Middle School: 
1. Averie Asuncion, 7th Grade, Untalan Middle School
2. Ja’ana Owen, 7th Grade, Untalan Middle School
3. Hailey Munoz, 7th Grade, Untalan Middle School

High School: 
1. “Connection” by Grace Dela Cruz, 11th Grade, Simon Sanchez High School
2. “Strength in Hands” by Abigail Lubong, 10th Grade, Simon Sanchez High School
3. “Mind Over Matters” by Cody Villegas, 12th Grade, Simon Sanchez High School

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