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GBN Evening art exhibit a treat for the senses
Eryn Nelken, 15, is a GBN sophomore, displays her self portrait shown at the GBN Evening Art Exhibit in the library May 17. | Karie Angell Luc~for Sun-Times Media
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Updated: July 2, 2012 8:04AM
At Glenbrook North’s Evening Art Exhibit, young artist Eryn Nelken decided to bring along some of her toughest critics — her family.
Nelken, 15, a GBN sophomore, came to the May 17 show surrounded by the, including grandparents David and Esther Nelken, in from Tel Aviv, Israel.
“Your lips are too purple and your eyes are too blue,” said her brother Jason, 13, a Northbrook Wood Oaks Junior High School seventh-grader. “No, I mean on the picture,” said Jason.
“I like the way it turned out,” said Eryn, of the still unnamed work. “The colors dried differently than the way it was mixed.
“My family (members) are my biggest critics,” Eryn said, “they’re helpful but they’re very annoying, but in a good way, of course.
After another look, Eryn Nelken called the self-portrait “Gazing Reflections.”
Said Eryn’s grandmother: “I love it, I’m so proud of her.” But Eryn feels her self-portrait, “doesn’t look like me.”
Kriztina Dagrizikos, 16, a Glenbrook North High School sophomore, who displayed art here with her sister Sia, 17, a junior, pondered red gym shoes in her photograph.
“I took this in my basement, actually,” said Kriztina, whose red shoes reminded her of Dorothy’s red slippers in the film “The Wizard of Oz.”
Lee Block, chatted with Nancy Kahn, a 14-year Northbrook resident who has two children, Jacob, 16, a GBN sophomore and Julia, 15, a GBN freshman.
“(Ed) Paschke is one of my artists (that) they (freshman students) pick out of a can in Drawing 1 (class),” said Block, Kahn’s ears perking up at the mention of the late great Chicago painter whose studio was in Evanston.
“So when they (students) pick up Paschke,” said Block, explaining the process of learning about random artists, “they don’t really know (at first).”
But one student told her, “You know, when you said ‘Paschke,’ the light bulb went on.”
Block, a 31-year teacher here, encouraged all GBN art students to exhibit.
“I think when pieces of work evoke an emotion and create an opportunity for questions,” said Block. “What we’re seeing is, a look into their worlds, what they’re proud of, what they care about.”
Visit www.glenbrook225.org/north/departments/fineart.
