Art is an expression of human creative skill and imagination - to be appreciated for beauty or emotional power. Once a year, the West Virginia Department of Education gathers some of the best applications in the state – from artistic expression through dance to theatrical deliveries to intricately created visual arts.

 

At this year’s Arts Alive event, held April 28 at the Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences in Charleston, Bridgeport High School was represented by a large group of talented students.

 

The visual arts display included pieces by Sarah Wright, Emma Posey and Anna Cava. Not only included in the arts showcase, but opening the show, was the BHS Dance Ensemble. Also performing was BHS drama student Vincent Pinti, who performed a pair of contrasting monologues.

 

It’s quite an honor, said BHS Art Teacher Courtney Rankin, who accompanied her students.

 

“It’s really great. To get to do this with them is a reward for me, too,” she said. “I’m so proud of these students for what they have accomplished.”

 

A BHS freshman, Sarah Wright earned a first-place ribbon in the category of two-dimensional art for her still life creation of musical instruments using circles.

 

“I had Sarah during the fall semester in Art 1 and she’s also in art club. Just having her in class, I was able to see what she could create and realized she is pretty talented. She definitely has artistic skill.”

 

Currently an Art 3 student under Rankin’s instruction, BHS sophomore Anna Cava showcased digital artwork of a portrait.

“She’s a very creative person and likes to do more fantasy-style artwork,” Rankin said. “She can come up with her own ideas instead of looking at a photograph. She has a lot of creative ability. Anna is going to be taking AP Art next year.”

 

BHS Junior Emma Posey specializes in fantasy/realism style.

 

“Emma created a still life with kind of a mix of objects, such as a violin and a rose in a vase,” Rankin said.

 

Posey has done a lot of art projects at BHS, including the painting of the arrows that lead into the canopied entrance to the school.

“She was asked to do it,” Rankin said. “That’s a big honor.”

 

This is the first year any of Rankin’s students have been involved in Arts Alive. There is a submission process which Rankin completed online, submitting the works of Wright, Cava and Posey, all of which were approved. From approved artworks from throughout the state, seven are selected for judging by high school art teachers. Wright’s art was chosen for judging. The others were displayed only.

 

In addition to a competitive submission process, Arts Aliveseeks out and invites participants through state arts conferences, exhibits and festivals. That was the case for Vincent Pinti, a BHS sophomore.

“I was at the State Thespian Festival last March at West Virginia University, where I presented two monologues – contrasting pieces,” he said. “Each had to be under three minutes and I had worked with Trina Byard and my theater teacher, Jared St. Martin Brown. They helped me pick out the Tragedy of Henry VI for which I played Richard III. The other piece was ‘You Can’t Take it With You,” a comedy. I played Grandpa Vanderhof.”

 

Upon delivery of his monologues at the State Thespian Festival, Pinti was invited to participate in Arts Alive, where he received excellent ratings for both pieces. A history buff, Pinti said he really liked the Henry VI piece. The reason it was paired with a comedy is so the actor can showcase a range of emotion.

 

“It’s a snappy transition going from a really depressed character to a funny, uplifting one,” he said. “It’s almost funny to see and I must have captured that.”

 

Pinti said he was extremely honored and happy to be selected and said he was quite comfortable on the stage of Arts Alive.

Brown made the trip to Charleston with Pinti.

 

The BHS Dance Ensemble made a return trip to Arts Alive this year. In fact, the 14-member student dance team performed a dance which had been performed at the venue in 2015. Choreographed by Dance Ensemble Instructor/Director Alicia Kinsey, “Dance of Hope” paid tribute to everyone everywhere who has or is battling cancer. The piece was inspired by her own mother’s battle with the disease. The dance had been submitted and accepted for performance in 2015 and once again this year. This year’s performance was very special as Rachel Reppert, who in 2016 lost her mother to cancer, danced the lead. (Read more about “Dance of Hope” and see a video of that dance and the entire stage show HERE.)

 

Editor's Note: Pictured top/cover are all BHS students featured at Arts Alive 2017; Sarah Wright with artwork; Anna Cava with artwork; Emma Posey with artwork; the BHS Dance Ensemble.