Barrington High School display the work of alum

The Clair E. Smith Art Gallery in Barrington High School is currently displaying the work of Hannah Altshuler, a 2007 Barrington graduate.

Altshuler, both a painter and a visual arts educator, graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in painting. She is currently student teaching for art education.

Growing up in Barrington, Altshuler was influenced by Barrington High School art teachers Dave Engle, Blake Mueller, Alex Stevenson and Kayla Mizanin and strongly believes in the importance of having a duel identity in being both an artist and an art teacher. Both roles enrich and nourish the other. As an art teacher, she gains perspective and wisdom from young artists and as an artist, has firsthand experiences about what it takes to regularly make art.

Painting allows her to create her passion for vegetables, and the relationship between food and people. The primary subject in her paintings is bell peppers, which provides inspiration as limitless as their natural variety. Peppers are a metaphor for painting itself; and provide a never-ending palette of colors, textures, and shapes to work with.

The majority of her paintings are created on loose (non-stretched) canvas. These spaces facilitate communal experiences that focus on the basic rituals of cooking, eating, feeding others and sharing a meal. The show will be on display through September 23rd.

The Clair E. Smith Art Gallery is located just inside the main entrance of Barrington High School. It is open school days from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and performance evenings. For further information, please contact the Fine Arts Department at (847) 842-3214.