On January 10th, Verona High School opened its doors to a visiting artist. Marilyn Rose came to art teacher Terry Sherman’s classes to talk to the art students and put on a demonstration.

The event, sponsored by the Verona Chapter of the National Art Honor Society, really allowed the “curriculum to come alive,” said Ms. Sherman, “It was a great opportunity for the students to see a published artist [work] in front of them.”

The artist, Marilyn Rose, has had work in numerous galleries and works as a professional graphic designer. During her visit, she showed the art students tips and techniques to inspire their own work, and demonstrated by doing a portrait of senior Gabby Sapienza.

“Some people wait to have the perfect paper or the perfect pose,” explained Rose, “[but] it doesn’t matter. It’s just a matter of doing it and letting your emotions enter it.”

“We’re working on our own self-portraits in class so it was really cool to see a professional come in and give us tips and answer our questions,” said senior Julia Frazee, “It definitely helped me with my own work.”

Frazee was not the only student who was inspired by Rose’s visit. “I’ve already seen one student buy a sketchbook,” said an enthusiastic Ms. Sherman.

“It’s great that we’re able to have a professional artist come in and share her expertise,” adds Frazee.