Catch the NM High School Student Art Show 

If you’re at the White Rabbit anytime this spring, you may notice a few familiar names on the walls next to some stunning artwork.

During the North Marion High School Student Art Show from April to June, the bakery will be showing the work of the following student artists: Denali Bosco, Isabel Doubrava, Evelynne Emmert, Aimee Kamakeeaina, Vivian McCullough, Scarlett McNamara, Kierra Smith, and Serenity Weddle.

Since the art hangs on the walls of the White Rabbit, 21368 Pacific Highway, Aurora, note that the bakery is closed on Mondays and is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday. It’s worth the stop because these framed artworks are like windows into the minds of young artists, offering insight into the joy and sorrow that North Marion students are experiencing.

Glimpse the bright life shining behind students’ eyes, whether it’s how they revel in the joy of intricate beadwork or marine animals, or spend time contemplating the sadness of a broken relationship or the melancholy curve of a spooky road in a dark forest.

“Always, ever since I was a little kid, I’ve loved drawing and painting,” said Emmert, a senior. “It was a way of showing the world what was in my head.”

Emmert loves marine life and said Newport’s Oregon Coast Aquarium inspired her painting.

“I love going there; it’s one of my favorite places,” Emmert said. “They have a big, yellow eel, kind of like the one I painted” in “Moray Eel.”

Bosco, a junior, said that her piece, "Cheyenne Toxic" came about as she was looking at a portrait of a teen couple at homecoming. One dab of ink in the wrong place spurred her to imagine how a poisonous relationship can impact someone. You can see a male figure’s foul energy seeping into the skin of an angelic young woman. A friend of hers saw Bosco’s painting and interpreted it as one person being able to unburden themselves of negativity, which isn’t how Bosco meant it, but she loves hearing a fresh perspective.

“Each of my pieces has a story, whether it’s simplistic or more complex like ‘Toxic,’” Bosco said.

Although not a drop of ink, Kamakeeaina, a junior, also found inspiration in overcoming an obstacle. More accustomed to colored pencil, she struggled to mix the shades she wanted with acrylic paint.  After adding water to the paint, she found it easier to create the various hues that she wanted for "Vanishing Road." 

“I always wanted to paint a road that would disappear into a forest line,” she said.

The idea arose from many an Oregon drive, yet her piece carries a certain dark mood to its thick rows of dark trees and the fading light of a sunset. She recalls Art Teacher Sara Bailey saying that the “supernatural” painting reminded her of a “spooky road trip.”

The students are pretty outspoken in their adoration of Bailey, with McNamara’s "Beaded Necklace," being a gift for the teacher once the exhibit ends.

McNamara, a sophomore, made Bailey a necklace similar to one she has but in a soft wine tone, as purple is Bailey’s favorite color. McNamara’s mom is an artist, so the young artist has had access to some of the tools of the trade since childhood, including a loom that she has often borrowed for crafting beaded bracelets. Still, this work was no easy feat. She spent an hour a day for half a trimester on the intricate piece, but she didn’t mind, quite the opposite.

“I was in heaven,” she said.

To share stories on North Marion School District, email Communications Specialist Jillian Daley at jillian.daley@nmarion.k12.or.us.