YOUNG NEW JERSEY ARTISTS: Shannon L. Kerrigan, who is a senior at Somerville High School, was one of the artists from Somerset County selected for a statewide exhibition at the Statehouse in Trenton. Pictured here is Kerrington’s award-winning painting.

Each year for the past 16 years, in recognition of Youth Art Month, The Center for Contemporary Art has presented exhibitions of Somerset County student work in partnership with Art Educators of New Jersey. Youth Art Month has an extensive history going back to 1961 and is supported by the National Art Education Association. 

During this month in the state of New Jersey, 21 counties will be celebrating and displaying student artwork. In Somerset County, over 20 art teachers will be participating in Youth Art Month in two exhibitions. Six works of art from Somerset County have been selected for a statewide exhibition at the Statehouse in Trenton where over 100 pieces of student work will be on view from every county in the State. The young artists selected from Somerset County are Beatrice Karl-Gruswitz (Basking Ridge), Grade 5 Liberty Corner School; Grace Tan (Basking Ridge), Grade 5 Mount Prospect School; Angela Qian (Princeton), Grade 6 Montgomery Lower Middle School; Elyse Madigan (Branchburg), Grade 7 Branchburg Central Middle School; Joshua Gonzalez (Bound Brook), Grade 11 Bound Brook High School; and Shannon L. Kerrigan (Branchburg), Grade 12 Somerville High School.

Youth Art Month Exhibit Part I runs from March 6-12 and presents students in grades K through 5. Part II features students in grades 6 through 12 and runs from March 14-19. Free public receptions will be held on Sunday, March 12, from 2-3:30 p.m. for Part I and Sunday, March 19, from 2-3:30 p.m. for Part II. Awards presentations during each reception will be held at 2:30 p.m. The exhibitions and receptions will take place at The Center for Contemporary Art, 2020 Burnt Mills Road, Bedminster.

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