Annual San Rafael Exhibit Aims To Promote Young Artists

SAN RAFAEL, CA — A Marin group that promotes young artists has kicked off its annual showcase event.

San Rafael-based Youth in Arts (YIA) is holding its 31st annual RISING STARS exhibit showcasing Marin’s best high school artists.

The exhibit, which opened Sunday, runs through May 13.

The art is on display at the YIA Gallery at 917 C St. in San Rafael weekdays from 11 am to 4 pm. Admission is free.

The event features 125 drawings, paintings, photographs, sculptures, mixed media, and digital artwork from emerging artists.

Visual art teachers from public, private and alternative high schools nominated their top students for the juried show. Winners were selected Sunday.

Artist Susan Diglioni founded RISING STARS in 1991 to create a venue to recognize the talents of young artists and promote their work.

“We are thrilled to have RISING STARS back in the gallery after a COVID hiatus,” YIA Gallery Manager and show curator Morgan Schauffler said in a statement.

“It is always incredible to see what Marin’s creative and inventive high school students put forth for the show, and it will be particularly interesting to see how the pandemic has impacted their work.”

Offering students opportunities for creative expression is more important than ever, she said.

“Having moments to access information in a different way supports students' emotional health, and allows them to process living and learning in a pandemic world,” Schauffler said.

The exhibition will be blindly adjudicated. This year’s judges include interdisciplinary artist Sirima Sataman, painter and Associate Professor of Art Lynn Sondag (Dominican University), and photographer Stephen Texeira.

Sponsors include College of Marin, Dominican University of California, RileyStreet Art Supply, Rocky Nook Inc, and Sarah Shepard Gallery.

Participants include the Branson School, Compass Academy, Marin Academy, Marin Catholic High School, Marin School of the Arts, Novato High School, Redwood High School, San Domenico School, San Rafael High School, Tamalpais High School, Tamiscal High School, Terra Linda High School and Tomales High School.