After months of hard work and collaboration Chartruese Talent, Wawasee High School’s Student Gallery & Showroom opened Thursday, Dec. 7.
The gallery features the artwork of the design fundamentals, ceramics and advanced drawing classes available for sale. Photo by Lauren Zeugner.

By Lauren Zeugner
InkFreeNews

SYRACUSE —  After months of hard work creating art and learning how to successfully run a business, Chartreuse Talent, Wawasee High School’s student gallery and showroom opened to great success.

An open house was held at the gallery, housed in the career/technical education building, on Thursday, Dec. 7. While the open house was 2 hours long, within a few short minutes, most of the student made ceramic pieces were tagged with “sold” signs.

Students in Christi Ziebarth’s design class and Diane Miller’s ceramics class had art available for sale. Students from the advanced drawing class had succulent floral drawings done in charcoal, prisma and tea-painting

The design class made a line of niche’ non-traditional mosaics will serve the beach-vibe of the community from mosaic pieces from recycled vinyl.

Tobi Pressler, one of Ziebarth’s students, said he “was stressing beforehand that there would be nobody (at the open house). There are so many people!”

In fact the gallery space was crowded with well wishers, and cashiers were kept busy handling sales.

“It’s a rousing success, so far,” said student Lynk Klinefelter. “We need to put out more product.”

Students receive 50% of the purchase price when pieces of their art was sold.

The gallery features plenty of wall space to feature the students mosaic art, succulent floral and ceramics, all for sale. Also on display were drawings for their next project, a community mural that will be done at the Syracuse Community Center. Seating in the gallery was also provided by Polywood which gave a very generous discount on the furniture purchase.

“Polywood has been very good at working with the school and the department,” said Jon Everingham, CTE director.

Everingham explained the gallery is a collaboration between two different departments, the business and art students to give them experiences that are unique and close to real life.

Some of the skills the students learned to do included marketing, keeping tract of inventory and learning how to price point.

Everingham and Ziebarth both said they hoped the students developed an interest in the business side who they learn how to open their own gallery if they want.

“Christi has done an amazing job. She’s special,” Everingham said.

The Christmas tree was decorated with smaller mosaic pieces. Shelves and cubbies were used to feature the ceramic pieces and smaller mosaics.

The gallery will be open to the public for special events throughout the school year.

For more information about Chartruse Talent, visit spinmosaic.com.