Students’ art honored at reception

By Elise Gray

Special to the Alpine Mountaineer

For a decade, one of the most beloved traditions in the San Bernardino mountain communities has taken place in Lake Arrowhead at the Mountain Arts Network Gallery. On April 26, MAN unveiled their 10th annual student show and reception.

Lola Bowens’ metal embossed piece was awarded Best of Show. (Photo by Elise Gray)

The yearly event honors young artists from Rim of the World High School who work in varying mediums, from mixed media to ceramics and photography.

This year’s student exhibition continues to solidify the gallery’s space as a platform for emerging artists, highlighting a range of disciplines. The award-winning students were as follows:

Photography: 1^st place, Layla Rodrigues; 2^nd place, Renn Walsh; 3^rd place, Liv Bundra

Ceramics: 1^st place, Charlotte Patton; 2^nd place, Ziann Christiano; 3^rd place, Wilder Bundra

Mixed Media: 1^st place, Emily Duvall; 2^nd place, Evangeline Juarez; 3^rd place, Miranda Andrade

Best of Show was awarded to Lola Bowens for her stylized, metal embossed mixed media piece with its richly textured background. Overall, all the awardees were recognized for their skill, perspective and craft. For many of these students, the exhibition marked their first time displaying their art publicly and professionally. It was a night to celebrate the transformative moment when a class project or hobby turns into something worth sharing.

With the guidance of Rim of the World’s instructors – Morgan Stehmeier, Jason Stehmeier and Kristil Cobb – the students created art worthy of hanging in a gallery. In fact, the exhibition will be on display throughout the month of May at the Mountain Arts Network Gallery, providing residents the opportunity to support young creatives at a pivotal moment in their development. In a remote haven like Lake Arrowhead, often celebrated for its landscapes, this show serves as a reminder that the mountains are home to a vibrant and growing community.

This photo of a delightful little girl won 1st place in Photography for Layla Rodrigues. (Photo by Mary-Justine Lanyon)

Established as an artist-run co-op, the Mountain Arts Network operates with a sense of intimacy, with artists supporting artists, teachers guiding students and community members showing up not out of obligation, but celebration. This show, in particular, embodies what happens when a community invests in creativity.

The Mountain Arts Network Gallery is located lakeside in Lake Arrowhead Village.