New York’s First Bank Gallery in Flushing, Queens, reopened after the pandemic and is hosting the annual joint exhibition of Bethany’s Studio of Art titled “Stories of Light and Shadow” from May 10 to May 21, showcasing nearly ninety pieces of artwork created by the studio’s students. The opening reception on May 11 was well-received, with hundreds of students and parents gathering together for the event.
Founder and teacher of Bethany’s Studio of Art, Lai Yingru, expressed in an interview with The Epoch Times his hopes of sharing the students’ artistic creations with the Flushing community, delivering a message of beauty to the community. Both students and parents have enjoyed participating in the exhibition in Flushing.
Established in 2007 by Lai Yingru and Xie Qiyin, both alumni of the Savannah College of Art and Design, Bethany’s Studio of Art has nurtured numerous outstanding alumni from institutions such as LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, Parsons School of Design, and the New York School of Design. The theme of the current exhibition “Stories of Light and Shadow” includes portraits, landscapes, still life, and a variety of media including watercolor, acrylic, and collage.
Chloe Chow, an alumna of LaGuardia High School, who will be a freshman at Parsons School of Design in the coming fall, presented her piece “Chow Family’s Road Trip,” which won the Gold Key Award. The artwork depicts a family road trip within the concrete jungle of New York City during the pandemic when traveling afar was not an option, expressing the artist’s gratitude for the close family ties during challenging times.
Another student from LaGuardia High School, Angela Lin, who has been admitted to both Cornell University and the University of Pennsylvania, showcased her acrylic creation at the exhibition. Lin captured the “footprints” of people commuting to work or school, marking the fleeting footsteps with various colors to portray the constant movement and gathering of crowds.
The exhibition “Stories of Light and Shadow” will run from now until May 21 at the New York First Bank Gallery located at 41-02 Main St., Flushing, Queens. The gallery hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.