There’s a moment in a young artist’s life when their work graduates from the refrigerator door to something a little more official, and you start to wonder what happens when people outside the family see it. That moment is on the walls right now at Congregation B’nai Amoona, where the Emerging Artists exhibit showcases the work of four young creators from the community.
On view through Jan. 10, the Emerging Artists exhibit features drawings, paintings, sculpture and mixed media pieces by Maple Fowler, Zachary Nathanson, Joey Abraham and Samuel Weisenberg. The show brings together artists at different ages and stages, united less by style than by curiosity and a willingness to try something new.
The Emerging Artists exhibit takes many forms
Zachary Nathanson, a junior at Parkway Central High School, approaches art as an open-ended experiment. His work spans pottery, woodworking, metal imprinting, painting and fabric arts, alongside detailed drawings and comic-style illustrations. He is drawn to learning new techniques wherever he can find them, including ductigami and candle making at camp, and his pieces reflect a hands-on curiosity that favors process as much as outcome.
Maple Fowler, an eighth grader at Holman Middle School, brings a more design-focused approach. Their work shows the influence of years spent creating art in both school and community settings, including previous student exhibitions. Maple hopes to pursue graphic design, and their pieces emphasize visual storytelling, composition and intentional choices.
Joey Abraham, a second grader at Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School, channels his creativity through building. His Lego-based designs include both structured sets and freehand creations, some made specifically for family celebrations. Joey’s artistic energy mirrors his wide range of interests, from theater and sports to coding and chess, and his work carries that same sense of movement and play.
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Samuel Weisenberg, a seventh grader at Parkway Central Middle School, explores art at the intersection of creativity and technology. His focus on animation and 3D printing has led him to design and print functional objects, learning through camps, online tutorials and trial and error. As part of his bar mitzvah project, he donated 3D-printed toys to St. Louis Children’s Hospital, using his skills to create something tangible for others.
From the fridge to the gallery wall
Taken together, the Emerging Artists exhibit feels less like a school showcase and more like a snapshot of young creativity in motion. It captures that in-between stage when making art shifts from something shared at home to something offered to a wider community, with all the excitement and vulnerability that comes with it.
With the exhibit closing soon, it offers a chance to see four young artists at the start of that journey, right as their work steps into the world.
What: Emerging Artists exhibit
Where: Congregation B’nai Amoona
When: Through Jan. 10
Details: Open during regular synagogue hours.
|RELATED: B’nai Amoona launches art gallery; new exhibit runs through December
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