By Staff
By GREG KATSKI
Staff Writer
These teenagers and children have talent to spare.
Aspiring artists and students under the tutelage of artist Pat Boyd, owner of Art &Things art studio on Lizzard Slip Road, held an art show at the 10th Street First Church of Christ from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Boyd, who gives private lessons to the students at her studio, noted the wide variety of artwork on exhibit, from water color paintings to clay models.
According to Boyd, encouragement is key to young artists, regardless of what niche the pupil prefers.
Boyd, who has been giving private lessons since 1981 and has had the studio since 1984, thinks the young artists impressed a lot of people at the show.
Over 150 people came out for the art show, with work by 11 students on display. The students, Dina Nobles, Joy Dodge, Madison Keech, Zachary Hardison, Emily Jackson, Anne Davis, Brandi Jordan, Colston Lyons and Mary Grace Wilder, range in age from seven to 16 years old and hail from Beaufort, Hyde and Martin counties. Nine of the 11 students were on-hand to share their artwork; Hardison and Davis could not make the show due to prior obligations.
Boyd prefers non-competitive art shows, such as the one on Sunday, for her young students.
The best way for young artists to improve is not by judging and scoring their work, but rather by encouraging them, according to Boyd.
Kara Fath, a student participating in the art show, has been in competitive art shows and excelled. Fath, who is originally from Charleston, S.C., has finished in first place in the South Carolina Federal Junior Duck Stamp Design Contest in the nine to 11-year-old age group the past three years. Two of the pieces of winning art work, which were on display at the art show, featured detailed paintings of male ducks.
Boyd is impressed by the accolades her pupil received.
Richard Mann, a 7-year-old and second grader at Pungo Christian Academy, was the youngest artist featured in the show. His mother, Shelly Mann, said that Mann has shown artistic ability from a young age.
Boyd views all of her pupils as family.
“They’re all so sweet; they’re just like family,” said Boyd.
Boyd feels blessed to have the opportunity to teach the young artists.