TCHS Brandywine Commercial & Graphic Arts senior Zyonna Boykin stands next to the work she submitted for the 2017 Commercial & Graphic Arts Senior Exhibit.
DOWNINGTOWN — Commercial & Graphic Arts students at the Technical College High School (TCHS) Brandywine Campus are offering the public an insight into their creative talents.
For the second year in a row, TCHS Brandywine seniors partnered with the Chester County Art Association to display their original artwork at the Association’s storefront in the Exton Mall. The exhibit, which contains everything from personal branding pieces to self-portraits, will be on display for the public through April 19.
Troy Campbell, Commercial & Graphic Arts instructor at TCHS Brandywine, started the event as a way for seniors in the program to display their high level of creative talent and to receive recognition.
“This exhibit has been a wonderful experience for our students. It’s great to see them get the recognition they deserve for their hard work and talent. Watching them receive feedback from the public and seeing their families pride in seeing their work on display has made this event very special,” said Campbell.
TCHS Brandywine Commercial & Graphic Arts senior Michael Behrenshauser stands next to the work he submitted for the 2017 Commercial & Graphic Arts Senior Exhibit.
Campbell attributed a large part of the event’s success to the support of the Chester County Art Association, which donates its storefront space to the students. He noted that, “The Chester County Art Association has been extremely generous in helping our students. It is wonderful to have the artistic community in Chester County rally behind our students to help encourage, celebrate and support the arts at TCHS,” said Campbell.
A unique attribute of the Commercial & Graphic Arts program at TCHS is its focus on helping students hone in on their artistic creativity and the technical skills necessary to pursue a career in this field. For Michael Behrenshauser, a senior Commercial & Graphic Arts student from the Downingtown Area School District, this exhibit serves as a way to help him network towards gaining employment in the field he loves.
“My love for Commercial & Graphic Arts really stemmed from my passion for gaming. Once I entered the program at TCHS Brandywine, I realized that I had a passion for creating brand logos and other materials. The five pieces I have at the exhibit reflect that passion. This exhibit helps me get my name and work out there, which I hope will lead to making new connections and maybe even landing a job,” said Behrenshauser.
The variety of projects submitted for the exhibit reflect the wide range of students’ interests in the Commercial & Graphic Arts program. “We had packaging, photography, multi-media, hand-illustrated and design projects submitted for this exhibit. I feel events like this are important to allow students to express themselves artistically,” noted Campbell.
Zyonna Boykin, a senior Commercial & Graphic Arts student from the Coatesville Area School District, already has a clear vision for her future and what role her experience at TCHS Brandywine has played in that process.
“I will be attending Franklin & Marshall College in the fall where I will be an Art major with a minor in Business. I want to open my own business in Coatesville that would sell games, anime and cosplay items. Attending TCHS Brandywine has shown me that I can take my love of art and use it in pursuit of a career that I can forge for myself,” said Boykin.
The exhibit will be available to the public until April 19 at the Exton Square Studio Gallery at the Exton Mall. The gallery is open on Wednesday – Saturday from 11 AM to 5 PM.
For more information about the programs offered at TCHS Brandywine, please visit http://www.cciu.org/tchsbrandywine.
