Downtown art gallery gives Vintage High students insight

By SASHA PAULSEN
Register Features Editor

When Tessa Mini, a Vintage senior,  worked as an intern at the MBFA Gallery in Napa last summer, she came up with the idea of showing students’ works in the unique business, which combines art and real estate.

She present the idea to owner Mike Bolin and Katrina Giacalone, who signed on — and the result is a unique collaboration between a the local art students and the gallery that gives the artists a premium showcase for their art, and a view into the professional world of artists.

The show came together just before their winter break began Dec. 14, as the 44 works by 38 artists went up. Art students James Vietor and Kristina McDonald helped hang the show.

“I went there expecting that we were just going to throw it up on the walls, “Vietor said. “I didn’t think (hanging a show) was that complicated.”

Alyssa Ciapponi, a junior, is one of the artists whose work is in the show, said, “It’s really exciting to be there.”

“The location is amazing,” said art teacher Christine Golick, “My friends are so impressed. Katrina and Mike Bolin and gave us a wonderful perspective on the art world.”

 Golik teaches about 50 advanced art students each year. “They come into the class knowing they are going to have to work hard,” she said.

“We tried to get a variety,” Golick said of the works in the show. “Surrealist, art nouveau, classical.”

The requirement to have one’s work included, Vietor said, was “to be cool.”

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