The Hilton Head Art League's first exhibition in 2002 will be the sixth annual student show, Student ArtReach 2002 - featuring work by students at Hilton Head High School, Hilton Head Preparatory School and Heritage Academy.

The show opens Jan. 10 and continues through Jan. 26. An opening reception will be held Jan. 10 from 5-7 p.m. at the gallery in Pineland Station.

Many of the outstanding student works will be for sale. The show will include ceramics, black and white and color photography, drawings, sculpture, watercolors, collage, acrylics, pastels, charcoal self-portraits and surreal self-portraits.

Dorothy Iwanowicz, a student at Heritage Academy, designed this year's announcement postcard. Her acrylic is titled "Winter Irony."

Some of the student artists whose work will also be on display are MacKenzie Raehm, Shane Russell, Show Sato, Matt Salstone and Lauren Walberry.


Member Show

"Different Strokes," an exhibition of some 30 pieces by three local artists - Jerry Purvis, Elizabeth Waite and Faye Willis - opens Jan. 29 Expect a variety of mediums, pallets, and subject matter. From abstract to realistic, and nature scenes to stylized oriental styles, the paintings are as varied as the artists.

Continuing through March 9, there is an opening reception Jan. 29 from 5-7 p.m. at the Art League's Gallery in Pineland Station.

Purvis, a native of New York City, has lived on Hilton Head for 19 years. She is a graduate of the New York School of Interior Design and The Art Students League in New York City. Purvis had owned a decorative accessory studio in New Jersey and has taught macramE. In 1986 she opened "La Petite Galerie" on Hilton Head Island where she sold her paintings and the works of other island artists.

She has exhibited widely in the U.S. and her works have been given numerous awards in juried shows. She continues to experiment and paint in watercolor, acrylic, mixed media and collage.

Waite is basically a self-taught artist who always loved drawing and painting in her youth in Canada and studied for one year with the English artist John Gordon. After raising a family and retiring to Hilton Head in 1979, Elizabeth renewed her interest in painting. She specializes in watercolors and pastels of children in action but also enjoys painting flowers and landscapes.

A member of the South Carolina Watercolor Society and Hilton Head Plantation Artists Association, Waite exhibits and has received awards in local and surrounding area shows. Many of her paintings are in private collections. She has participated in workshops given by nationally famous artists and is constantly learning.

"I always had a love for drawing and painting," says Willis. She received her first award as "Best in Oils" at age 15 when she was a junior member of the Plainfield (N.J.) Art Association. A graduate of the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, she continued to participate in many workshops and paints regularly with an art group. She has studied with nationally known artists, has entered numerous exhibitions and has been the recipient of many awards.

Willis' paintings are the creative result of research of local flora and fauna and she finds there is no end for subject matter or exciting possibilities. She is also accomplished in award-winning garden sculpture and flower arranging. She has been commissioned by clients and her works are in many collections.

The art league is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the arts in the community and enhancing the art skills of its member artists. It operates a volunteer-managed gallery for the display and sale of artwork by its members. The art league has over 900 members with more than 200 member artists. The gallery is in Suite 207 at Pineland Station and is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. For more information, call (843) 681-5060. The Art League is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2002. If you are interested in becoming an Art League member, please call (843) 842-5444.