Feb. 27 came around for the Bonita Vista High (BVH) Photography and 3D (three dimensional) Art students, where their artwork would be displayed at the local Bonita Museum and Cultural Center. There was a variety of art on display—including digital art, portraits, black and white, and more. The students were encouraged by Photography and 3D Art teacher Edward Lim to display an artwork that meant a lot to them. 

“We have a lot of portraits, animal photography. We have double exposures, and we even have computer art about women’s reproductive rights. It’s nice to see variety and students are creating art that they love,” Lim said.

This event brought out local aspiring artists from across the Sweetwater Union High School District, ranging from seventh to 12th grade. The art show allowed students to interchange styles and ideas of photography while understanding the backstory behind the art. 

“I feel these events are a good thing because you get more exposure to other photography and get more ideas. We share the story behind our art and what we were trying to do when we took it,” junior Audrey Trop, who is in Mr. Lim’s photography class, said.

Supporting a local event is viewed as important to the artists as they help boost the cultural image of the local community and add to the art scene. Moreover, it creates an  impact in the local community by displaying art other people can see and relate to. 

“This event feels more significant being that it is local and it’s in the community. A lot of people around here go through the museum and will see what we created and hopefully like it,” Trop said.

These events are not only catered for students, but also allows anyone who enjoys photography and looks to explore the local art scene. This event also serves to encourage more people to try their hand at photography. The event was an open exhibition with people shuffling in and out and observing the distinct arts created by the students. 

“Exhibitions allow people who love photography and want to gauge others’ work, to be able to have a place where they can display their own pictures and others as well,” senior Jasmine Cuevas said, who had a black and white entry.

This exhibition also serves as an outreach program in the community for BVH students who are interested in photography to learn about Lim’s class and potentially join in the future. It shows potential students the possibilities of having their work displayed to the public and what it feels like to see the completion of their initial vision. 

“This exhibition has been one of the best recruitment and ambassadors for my students. I have each kid take a photo with their own art if possible and just seeing their smiles and grins when they see their art printed is invaluable. We’ve done a lot of events this year and this is one of our favorite spots,” Lim said.

For students who want to have their work displayed, it offers them the opportunity to start off small and have it displayed within the local community. Additionally it is a great tool for artists starting out to get a foot in the door and their name out in the local community.

“Exhibitions open up the events to people who love photography to be able to have a place where they can display their pictures and just see what the people think of your art,” Cuevas said.

This event is a culmination of the students’ work over the school year and the message they want to share with the world. This exhibition allows the public and students to view their work on the big stage and lets people see their form of expression. It’s a great source of pride for the students to be able to see their work on display.   

“Being able to see something that I took being printed on the wall felt like a result of my [hard] work and I know it’s from my effort,” Cuevas said.