Abbe Creek Gallery, 105 First St. NW, Mount Vernon, announces the opening of the Mount Vernon High School Senior Art Exhibit to take place Thursday, May 8, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The exhibit will run through May 19 at the gallery.

Eleven seniors, under the tutelage of art instructor Bonnie Ahrens, will display 43 pieces using a variety of media.

Featured artists include Lily Amthauer (porcelain); Katherine Bauer (acrylic on canvas); Annaleaha Daugherty (oil on canvas); Simon Gillespie (fused glass and photography); Ethan Hunt (porcelain and stoneware); Effie Johnson (color pencil); Zara Larsen (stoneware, collage on plexiglas, oil on mat board); Ellia Oesterle (acrylic on canvas); Grady Olberding (porcelain); Skye Rodman (acrylic on canvas); and Noah Webster (photography).

The exhibit includes both 2d and 3d art as well as jewelry and includes an artist’s statement addressing their creative process.

In this exhibit you will see how a routine school assignment evolved into a meticulous and inventive creation, or how a student’s personal feelings provoked artistry.

Senior Zara Larsen explained, “my favorite thing about creation is learning to adjust to unforeseen difficulties, and seeing the final product after a lot of hard work.”

Effie Johnson’s pieces highlight her experiences as a teenage girl with a life rooted in grief, self-revelation, and abundant love. She added “my pieces invite viewers to witness the layers of my inner world…”

Katherine Bauer finds that acrylic paint and prints can show repetition in a new light, “removing the mundane.” She lets music lead her inspiration.

“One priority of the Abbe Creek Gallery’s mission statement is to encourage the development of emerging artists. This exhibit precisely fits within our purpose,” explained co-owner Bob Campagna.

“We’re excited to provide this opportunity to exhibit their art for these graduating seniors,” added co-owner Chris Childers.

The gallery is owned and operated by Bob Campagna, Chris Childers, and Kimberly Machovec-Smith.

The gallery’s regular hours are Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; closed Sunday and Monday.