Art Show, Spring 2021 - Beautiful

a note from mr. kerin

Welcome to the fourth annual Williams Middle School Art Show! I’m Nicholas Kerin, the art teacher at Williams. This art show is open to all students at the school. I’m so proud of all who participated. We have students of all ages and abilities here—all with a common desire to create something beautiful. That is our theme this year: “Beautiful.” While it has been a tough year, there is still so much beauty in the world, and these students are bringing some to you here.

Our special guest artist this year is local artist Justin Gallego. His story of how he started creating art is so special. His work is amazing—whether done in pencils, on his iPad, or other media. His group picture displayed here is called “Heroes” and was commissioned by the Sutter Health Tracy Community Hospital. He is a wonderful artist and person, and I hope we will have him join us again when the art show can be in person.

Previously, we had live music played by students. This year, I added some of that back with two talented student musicians tasked with making music that fit the theme—one playing a beautiful medley on ukulele with her father and another playing the love theme from Romeo and Juliet on her violin.

I hope the show can resume being an in-person event next year, but this is still a wonderful event for all of these talented students. Thank you and congratulations to all who are in the show, and special thanks to Bobbie Etcheverry and Tom Quiambao for their help in putting this together.

guest artist - Justin Gallego

My Artistic Journey started back in 2013. My dad had just passed away and I inherited everything he had including an art kit. One night, I was alone in my apartment and thought I would give drawing a try knowing I hadn’t drawn anything before. So I looked up a Youtube How-to video and thus began drawing. What started as a curiosity, quickly grew into a passion practically overnight. I would draw pretty much everyday after that. I would take my art supplies to work and draw on my breaks and lunches. Any small chance I got to whip out my supplies and start drawing, I took it. I had a goal and that was to replicate my reference. If it didn't turn out exactly or close to that, it was back to the drawing board...literally.

Fast forward to present and I never imagined that it has evolved into what it is now. It’s absolutely surreal. I also find my time to draw therapeutic as well. The world is a crazy place and when you can just sit down, put your earphones on and escape reality for a few minutes or even a few hours, the art just takes over and you just get lost in it and the creativity just flows out on the paper. It’s something really magical and since I can’t exactly put it all into words, I let my art show it for me. 

My attention to detail has led me on a path to a dream job and landed me on a HUGE step to get there. What I have learned in my years of drawing is that patience is your best friend. Without patience, you rush your work and mistakes get made. Always remember, the more time it takes to make a piece of artwork, the more you and others will cherish it!  Don’t ever give up on anything you do because you never know what it has in store for you.

student musicians

student artwork