Upon entering the Burbank Creative Arts Center Gallery, an array of colorful 2D and 3D artworks decorate white walls.
Pieces include collages, pencil sketches, oil pastels and drawings — all by students from kindergarten through 12th grade in the exhibition “Express Yourself.”
Burbank Parks, Recreation and Community Services and the Fine Arts Federation hosted an awards ceremony for high school and elementary school students on Thursday and Friday evenings, respectively.
“This showcases the talent of Burbank youth and allows students to show their creativity . . . but it’s also a competition,” said senior recreation leader Dave Mudgett.
Brochures are sent to all the schools. Many teachers collect artwork from their students and submit it.
This year, the expo, which is open to students who attend a Burbank public or private school, received 1,326 submissions.
From there, a juror associated with the Burbank art community narrows down the competition.
For this show, 198 pieces were chosen.
Among the featured artists is 5-year-old Evaluna Oleas-Mekhitarian, a kindergartner at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School.
In her class, Evaluna created a construction paper rendition of Vincent van Gogh’s “Irises.”
Another featured artist is 7-year-old Sean Williams, a second-grader at Walt Disney Elementary School.
Williams, who drew a pelican using oil pastels, said, “I think it was so cool — I like making pictures.”
Williams said his favorite part of the show was “maybe hoping I can get a trophy.”
“It’s amazing to see so much developing work in such young, young children . . . it’s really exciting to see that special light in some of the work,” said Frances Santistevan, gallery director for Creative Arts Center.
A featured artist and award-winner at the show is Zoey Robles, 8, who drew a lizard using oil pastels.
The Walt Disney second-grader said, “Oil pastel is a really cool tool to use . . . it’s just interesting to me.”
Robles offered advice to other students about creativity.
“Just enjoy your art,” she said.
“You can see the talent is so evident . . . you know those kids that are really into it and are gonna spend their lives doing that . . . I live to see that,” Santistevan said.
The exhibit ends April 16 at the gallery, 1100 W. Clark Ave., Burbank.
