By SCOTT D. JOHNSTON

One of the busiest places near the beach, the meeting room at Ocean Shores Public Library became a gallery Friday and Saturday, March 30-31, for the second annual Youth Fine Art Open Show, produced by Associated Arts of Ocean Shores (AAOS).

The North Beach Jr./Sr. High School students of art teacher Richard Villar entered 120 pieces this year. Sixty were chosen to be displayed, and 25 of those received Award of Distinction ribbons, with judging done by local artist Judy Horn.

The show is a lead-in to one of the North Coast’s longest running annual events, the AAOS Fine Arts, 3D and Photography Show, at the Ocean Shores Convention Center April 27-29. All 60 pieces from the Youth show will be showcased at this event, where they will also compete for cash awards. The free event displays hundreds of pieces of art in a variety of juried and open categories.

“The quality of the students’ work is amazing,” said Kathy Harris, who chairs the AAOS Youth Art Show. Villar agreed, adding, “I think we can compete with much larger schools, based on the quality of work and variety of media.”

The art teacher noted that AAOS continues to “partner” with the local schools, by providing materials and also offering scholarships. “Whatever I need, they get it to me. I couldn’t ask for a more supportive group,” he said.

Harris explained that AAOS, with the help of groups such as the Seabrook Foundation and Grays Harbor Community Foundation, provides about $2,500 in art supplies yearly, and offers other help including one or more $1,000 scholarships. The group’s goal is that art can “keep these kids interested in school through graduation.”

Villar considers himself an example of the idea. He was a student at Ocean Shores Elementary in the ’70s, when AAOS had a student art show. He recalled, “I entered and came in second. I fell in love with art. I felt like a real artist. I was a pretty lousy student, so it was nice to be good at something.” He’s been teaching art in the North Beach school district since 2001, at NBHS for the past nine years.

As both a teacher and an artist, he voiced his concern that, in the current school year, “Ocean Shores Elementary students have not had an art class for the first time in nine years.”

“I’ve had these guys since kindergarten. If something doesn’t change,” students won’t start art “until the seventh grade,” Villar said.

Harris commented, “We’re afraid for some, that may be too late.”

The students who received Awards of Distinction, and the titles of their honored works, are: Mia Loudenback “Tiger”, “Sneakers”, “Painted Dog”, and “Give Me Love”; Rylie Holt “Pondering” and “Isolation”, Brenden Cheney “Hour Glass” and “Chuck Taylors”, Abby Loudenback “Sea Turtle” and “Chameleon”, Tawni Blankenship “Unknown” and “Sunrise Mandala”, Trinity Schmidt “Far Out”, Myriam Wilkerson “Purple Haze”, Wade Melton “City”, Jeri Herbrand “Hot & Cold”, Khyra Chism “Golden Skies”, Fay Jurriaanse “Verdriet”, Robert Oban “Batman Lives!”, Morgan Gillihan “The Moon”, Calista Hyde “Portrait”, Lyndsay Meyers “Elephant”, Darin Cornado “Queen”, Kenzie Wilson “I Am Batman”, and Robert Oban “Buddies.”