Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
It was a night of art and intrigue. The Pocahontas County Opera House was part art gallery, part theater last Thursday for the Marlinton Woman’s Club Evening with the Arts.
As guests entered, they were greeted by the colorful and varied art of Pocahontas County High School and Marlinton Middle School students.
There was a small display of ceramics creating a candy-colored coral reef, as well as displays of paintings and drawings depicting landscapes, animals, people and surreal imagery, all created by PCHS students in Diana Nelson’s class.
After visitors weaved their way through the displays of 2-D art, they were greeted by a display of plush gremlins. Each one had its own unique personality and look – one to three eyes, wings, multiple arms, large teeth and more – all were created and sewn by MMS students in Derek Trull’s class.
Several judges had the difficult task of selecting winners from the thought provoking and eye pleasing artwork.
Winners were:
Acrylic – first place, Karly Vanmeter; second place, Karly Vanmeter; and third place, Caitlin Mallow.
Tempera – first place, Sarah Cole; second place tie, Eden Smith and Lilly Stephens; and third place tie, both pieces by Layna Bauserman.
Mixed Media – first place, Emilynn Hall; second place, Kynlee Wilfong; and third place, Kelsey Taylor.
Colored Pencil – first place, Maddie Ray; second place, Maddie Ray; and third place, Sabina Leyzorek.
Pen and Ink – first place, Karly Vanmeter; and second place, Sabina Leyzorek.
Scratchboard – first place, Eden Smith; second place tie, Lilly Stephens and Maddie Ray.
Watercolor – first place, Lilly Stephens; second place, Magic Dunz; and third place, Mackenzie Moyers.
Pencil – First place, Maddie Ray; and second place, Grace Sisler.
Clay – First place, Karly Vanmeter; second place, Emilynn Hall; and third place, Sabina Leyzorek.
The evening also included a little murder mystery theater and original poetry provided by Pocahontas County Day Report.
Director Reta Griffith set the scene and told the audience to pay close attention, for there was a mystery to be solved at the end of the play.
Day Report participants created a play within a play of sorts. The play was a day in the life at Day Report while attempting to put on the play Macbeth. The participants opened with the three witches scene from Macbeth, which is interrupted several times by individuals who are unhappy with the way they are treated by the Day Report Staff.
Lo and behold, during the play practice, a staff member falls ill and is unable to be resuscitated. With a cast of characters who all could have been responsible for the staff member’s fate, it was up to the audience to determine “whodunit.”
The play was filled with laughs and surprises, but in the end, the culprit was caught and her dastardly deed was re-enacted to show what really happened.
With the mystery solved, the stage was cleared and some of the Day Report participants shared their original poetry.
