Westerly School provides its students with a gallery space for second visual-art exhibition

Westerly School, 2950 East 29th St. in Long Beach, unveiled its second annual visual-art exhibition, this one entitled Poetic Images, Tuesday night in the Pinckert Family Art Studio on the school’s campus. The exhibition, which had 150 people attend the unveiling of 100-plus works on display, celebrated the work and performance art of Westerly’s kindergarten through fifth-grade artists, under the instruction and direction of Kevin Doherty, Westerly’s lower-school art instructor and his wife, Penelope.
Westerly’s goal was to give young artists a stage and gallery to celebrate a year’s worth of hard work.

“Teaching and celebrating the visual arts is such a big part of our program here at Westerly,” said Chris Rodenhizer, head of school. “This event was just one more way we celebrate, as a community, the unique qualities of our school.”
The art showcased a variety of expressive and colorful paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures and mixed-media installations, all sharing a distinct poetic tonality, conveying the unique personal life and inner world of each artist.
“Poetic Images was such a fun event,” said 5th grader Isabella Casillas. “Mr. Doherty took so much time to make us feel special. He definitely made me feel special.”