Area artists are displaying their works at the Stone House Gallery in Fredonia, including some of Allen Community College’s most talented students. Tera Reid, art instructor at ACC had two of her students meet up with The Register to discuss the artwork they have on display. SARA SCALES is using her studies at Allen Community College to jumpstart a career in photography. DANIELLE WILBUR’S goal is to teach youth to appreciate and take interest in art, just as she does. ART instructor Reid said exhibits such as one in the Stone House Gallery — which is free for the students to enter — is a huge step forward for any budding artist.
The Area Artist Exhibit and Competition will run through Oct. 31. It is free to the public.
Scales, 27, has been taking photographs since she was “six or seven years old.” Her hopes are to eventually open a photography studio.
Originally from Girard, Scales has been living in Moran ever since she came to study at the college. She hopes the experience she gains from her art studies can help her begin a career.
“I like to capture people in the moment, the real emotion,” Scales said. “I try to think about what they are thinking.”
She said her real passion is taking nature photos, and hopes to include that in her artistic work. While she does have more advanced equipment, she said great photos are about the photographer — not the equipment.
For example, the piece she submitted for the Stone House Gallery was taken by her cell phone. It is a simple portrait of herself that she took on her 27th birthday. She set up the shadows to cast across her face, creating a somber and thoughtful atmosphere. She said having confidence in yourself is one of the most important attributes of a photographer, and it comes through in the work.
“Not being afraid of people is important,” Scales said with a laugh. “I’m getting better, I can see a difference between my photos now and before.”
Scales’ two children — Addyson, 6, and Rorrick, 4 — have been a “big motivation” for her work professionally. They are also the subject of her photos more often than not.
She said she is working to set up online albums for her work, to get more business with her studio. Getting the exposure, such as in local art exhibits, will help her generate more clients in the future. But, if the photo is right, that will be the best selling point.
“If I like it, I think other people will like it, too,” she said.
Wilbur, 19, submitted two of her colored pencil drawings of Shirley Temple for the Stone House Gallery Exhibit. She has been drawing since elementary school, and especially enjoys trying to make an exact representation of an image.
“I was never good at anything else,” Wilbur joked about her love of drawing. “You can block everything out.”
For her, art is a form of therapy — it helps her to relax. She said many students today don’t take art seriously, and view it as a credit needed for graduation. She wants to change that. Wilbur has her sights on either Emporia State University or Kansas State University, to earn her master’s of fine arts degree. Her goal is to teach high school art.
Until then, Wilbur said she is working on expanding her craft and honing her skills. Having an original image to sketch is one of the most difficult aspects of drawing, Wilbur said, and she is working on being more creative and having more original subjects.
“I’m just trying to get better,” she said. “I’m trying to come up with things myself.”
“It offers great opportunities for the students,” Reid said. “It helps them build their resumes.”
She said some of her professors displayed their work at the Stone House Gallery when she attended Pittsburg State University, and now she is happy to give her students the chance to do the same.
Other ACC students showing their work are Jordan Barber, Brock Artis, Holly Schomaker, MaRyiah Cavender, Dorothy Lawrence, Angie Terhune and Mackenzi Beck.
ACC artists show off their skills
