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< Strong >Arts Around the Town flavored with student works< / strong> By SCOTT TAKAC Students ran ahead doing reconnaissance at Westerville's Gallery 202 Saturday while parents signed the guest book at the door. After weaving through the maze of artwork on display and catching up with sons or daughters, the parents beamed while the kids took on "aw shucks" postures. Expressions like Kathryn Odenwald's, when she saw daughter her daughter Ava's original work for the first time, were not uncommon. "I love it," Mrs. Odenwald said. "I think it's so gorgeous." The craypas Ava used to create the colorful work in her second grade art class at Annehurst Elementary School were one of several media represented in the exhibit that will run all month. Ava's piece was one of at least 100 that arts council vice president and Westerville art teacher Kim Perrone said make up the Westerville School District Art Show. The show opened Saturday as part of the kick-off to the inaugural run of the arts council's Arts Around the Town, a month-long celebration of the arts organizers hope to make a Westerville tradition. Perrone, who originally anticipated having about 80 pieces in the show, said art teachers' efforts to showcase a myriad of quality works by their students produced more. "We're hoping, just chatting with the art teachers, that this will be an annual event," said Perrone, who teaches art at Emerson Magnet and Whittier Elementary schools. Besides their own art show, another distinction came Saturday for Westerville Schools when the logo designed by a Hanby Arts Magnet School student was chosen to represent this year's Arts Around Town. Eight-year-old Blake Weissman was honored for his colorful design in a 1 p.m. event kick-off ceremony held on the sidewalk outside the Gallery 202 Co-op's 38 N. State St. location. Hanby Principal Jan Fedorenko was chairwoman of the logo committee, something she said complicated the selection of Blake's logo out of 22 submitted by children and adults. "Because Blake happened to go to my school, I had to remove myself from the judging," said Fedorenko, who presented her student with an award. Blake, who was accompanied by his parents Kim and Dave Weissman and sister Kelli, said his mom helped him with the logo made using Photoshop software. Mrs. Weissman, who runs a multi-media company, also assisted Kelli with the winning logo design for a past Westerville Cookie Festival. "I think the schools have a lot to do with it," said Mr. Weissman on his kids' artistic accomplishments. "Hanby's a great school for promoting the arts and teaching kids to be creative." The opening ceremony also saw Westerville Mayor Diane Fosselman and councilman Mike Heyeck put the finishing touches on two street signs that were hung on State Street lamp posts outside the gallery. Close to 50 arts-related events are scheduled in April as part of Arts Around Town, which organizers say aims to recognize the value of arts in the community. Another student art display, from students at Emerson and Whittier elementary schools, is on exhibit at the Commerce Bank in Uptown, 17 N. State St. More information is available at the council's Web site, artscouncilwesterville.com. < ! - - S t a r t o f S t a t C o u n t e r C o d e - - > < s c r i p t t y p e = " t e x t / j a v a s c r i p t " l a n g u a g e = " j a v a s c r i p t " > v a r s c _ p r o j e c t = 4 6 0 2 9 4 ; v a r s c _ p a r t i t i o n = 2 ; < / s c r i p t > < s c r i p t t y p e = " t e x t / j a v a s c r i p t " l a n g u a g e = " j a v a s c r i p t " s r c = " h t t p : / / w w w . s t a t c o u n t e r . c o m / c o u n t e r / c o u n t e r . j s " > < / s c r i p t > < n o s c r i p t > < a h r e f = " h t t p : / / w w w . s t a t c o u n t e r . c o m / " t a r g e t = " _ b l a n k " > < i m g s r c = " h t t p : / / c 3 . s t a t c o u n t e r . c o m / c o u n t e r . p h p ? s c _ p r o j e c t = 4 6 0 2 9 4 & a m p ; a m p ; j a v a = 0 " a l t = " u n i q u e v i s i t o r c o u n t e r " b o r d e r = " 0 " > < / a > < / n o s c r i p t > < ! - - E n d o f S t a t C o u n t e r C o d e - - > < / T D > < / H T M L > < / b o d y > < / h t m l > |