Meet the Artists behind Barberton Community Foundation’s Student Art Gallery 2025

Meet the Artists behind Barberton Community Foundation’s Student Art Gallery 2025

Barberton Community Foundation Logo

 

Student Art Gallery

Barberton Community Foundation presents our third annual Student Art Gallery.

Cassie Moore
18 years old, Graduated 2025
Studying Interior Design at Kent State University
Swans

Cassie sees art as the careful choreography of focus and atmosphere. “What inspires me is the space around the main idea of the art—getting all the details to come to life,” she says. Drawn to exploring different media, she loves “the way you can make art move with the shadows,” using light and value shifts to create motion you can almost feel.

For her featured piece, Cassie leaned into meticulous observation: “I wanted to see all the details of the animal and the space around it.” Every texture—fur, whiskers, branches, background negative space—works together so the subject feels present in its environment, not just placed on a page. That attention to context is also why Interior Design calls to her; she’s excited to shape spaces that tell stories and make people feel at home.

Community, for Cassie, is simple and strong: “Family and friends mean everything to me—helping and being there for each other is everything.” Whether she’s sketching an animal study or planning a room, her goal is the same: bring the details to life so people feel seen, connected, and cared for.

Kaylee Wright
18 years old, Graduated 2025
Ceramic Vase

Kaylee channels focus and feeling into her work. She credits her drive to her biggest inspiration, her mom, “who has shown me working hard pays off.” That determination shows up in her studio, where art becomes a way to communicate what’s hard to say out loud. “Expression, story—you can show so much expression and emotion,” she says.

Her featured piece is ceramic pottery – hands-on, patient, and precise. The form, weight, and surface tell a quiet story about balance and care, qualities that also draw her toward a future in anesthesiology. Kaylee defines community as “friends, family, places, school”, the people and spaces that steady you. Whether she’s shaping clay or shaping a goal, she’s guided by the same idea: crafting something that supports others and stands the test of time.

 

Ayelet Lopez
11 years old, Grade 6
Barberton Middle School
Lake Collage

When he grows up, Ayelet wants to be a doctor or an artist. He says art inspires him to be creative, and his favorite parts are “the colors and the shading.” For his lake collage, Ayelet was thinking about Lake Anna and all the colors you see around the water. He layered pieces of construction paper to build the scene, letting shapes and shades do the

storytelling. When he thinks of community, Ayelet says it means his family and “the good people here.”

Eva Roberts
12 years old, Grade 7
Barberton Middle School
Starry Night

When she grows up, Eva wants to be a small business owner so she can make art to sell. She finds inspiration in “art on the street and the things I see all around me,” and she loves how art can tell a story. For her “Starry Night” piece, Eva admits she was thinking, “I hope it turns out okay”—and it did! Swirls of sky and glowing stars come together to share a calm nighttime story. When she thinks about community, Eva says it’s a big part of what art is to her—and her family is a big part, too.

Dani Wilson
18 years old, Graduated 2025
Necklace & Bracelet Set​

Dani hopes to become an elementary school teacher—“because I love to help students in any way possible and inspire the future.” Her work is shaped by the people around her: “the people around me have a big impact on my work.”

What Dani loves most about art is the creativity of making jewelry and “watching it all come together.” For these pendant pieces, she set a goal: try something new in both. That spirit of experimentation shows in the forms and finishes—thoughtful choices that turn small materials into meaningful keepsakes. To Dani, community is full of “great people who inspire others to follow their goals and celebrate their achievements,” a lesson she carries into both the studio and the classroom she hopes to lead one day.

Addison Stovall
14 years old, Grade 9
Barberton High School
Koi Fish

Addison brings calm focus to the page. “Art is a way to show how you feel and tell how you feel without talking,” she says. Music fuels her creativity—Frank Ocean and Tyler, the Creator are on repeat—while drawing helps her reset: “I did it to get my mind off of school and have something to do.”

Her koi fish in charcoal leans into contrast and movement—the sweep of fins, the soft ripple of water, the quiet space around the fish—so the mood does the talking. Community, for Addison, is simple and strong: “my close friends,” the people who show her “who and what I can be.”

Meet the Artists behind Barberton Community Foundation’s Student Art Gallery

Meet the Artists behind Barberton Community Foundation’s Student Art Gallery

Barberton Community Foundation Logo

 

Student Art Gallery

Barberton Community Foundation presents our second annual Student Art Gallery on view at the Foundation’s main meeting room through November 7, 2024. The pieces highlighted here are selected at the B-Art Student Art Show, highlighting students K-12 in Barberton City Schools. In partnership with White Rabbit Galleries, the Foundation selects 10 pieces for display, purchases the art from the students, and auctions the art at the Annual Dinner. 

We invite the public to stop by and enjoy the artwork created by some of Barberton’s most talented young artists! 

A special thank you to White Rabbit Galleries creative director Molly Brown and facility manager and art framer Jim Smith for finalizing these pieces. 

Kevin Wright III
18 years old, Graduated 2024
Studying Art Education at UA
Woman with the Rose

A freshman at The University of Akron majoring in Art Education, Kevin is on his path to being an art teacher. (Anyone noticing a theme with our students?) He loves both the visual arts and theatre, believing he could also see himself directing musicals. Regarding education as a major, Kevin said, “I want to give and share my love for art with the generations under me.”

For Kevin, art lives best when interpreted through story and imagination. “I love the storytelling of art,” Kevin said. “Art can tell a story, but also leaves room for the imagination. Some pieces of art are left for the viewer to decide what that story is, and the story can change depending on the experiences of the viewer.” For Woman with a Rose, Kevin hopes viewers are curious about who the woman is and where she is from.

Kevin works hard to overcome any challenges, saying he is inspired by struggles to want better for himself. He defines community as any group of people who can give back the same amount of love you give to them.

 

Liberty Regan 
8 years old, Grade 2  
Barberton Primary School 
Cherry Blossoms 

When she grows up, Liberty wants to be an art teacher! She said her family inspires her. She loves all the colors in art and was thinking about how much she enjoys the flowers in the springtime when she painted these cherry blossoms. When she thinks of community, Liberty thinks of visits to Lake Anna, Barberton Public Library and how much she loves Barberton!

 

Analia Marie Valencia
11 years old, Grade 5 
Barberton Intermediate School  
Goodyear on Vacation 

Analia said she wants to be a doctor when she grows up, because she wants to help people. Her favorite thing about art is that you can make anything, and it can be art! Barberton’s community means a lot to Analia, especially when she thinks about how important her family, friends, and school are to her.

Above: Analia stands with her younger sister and Executive Director Josh Gordon at White Rabbit Galleries. 

Nala Garnett
9 years old, Grade 3
Barberton Intermediate School
Floral Pastel
 

Nala said she wants to be an art teacher like Mrs. Norman when she grows up! (Shout out to Mrs. MaryElizabeth Norman at BIS!)  She said making art inspires her and she loves thinking about and selecting the colors she’s going to use. She used the colors in this drawing because they make her happy, and she hopes these colors can make someone else happy, too. To Nala, community means family and having friends.

Alannah Murkins 
17 years old, Grade 12 
Barberton High School 
Barbershop Pastels 
 

Alannah is still deciding what she wants to do in her future, but she does know she wants to pursue something in art. Her mom, boyfriend, her art teacher Mrs. Waldow, and long-time friends inspire her to pursue her art.

Alannah loves the colors, storytelling, and techniques when making her art – such as using her pencil for small details. She wanted to create a calm city near the beach with warm sunset vibes. She said, “Community for myself means family and friends coming together to socialize with people you love or share the same interests with.”

Aryanna Crisp
17 years old, Grade 12
Barberton High School
Eiffel Tower Etching and Ocean

In the future, Aryanna wants to be an interior designer. She has always enjoyed rearranging her room and watching Fixer Upper with her grandma. Aryanna is inspired by her mother, and her art teachers, saying she is who she is today because of them. For her art, she likes using charcoal and showing trueness in nature. She enjoys art because it’s peaceful.

Regarding her Ocean piece, Aryanna said she had wanted to try creating 3D textured art for a while, so she purchased a canvas and plaster. Staring at the canvas, the ocean was the first thing she thought of. For the Eiffel Tower, she shared that she loves replicating architecture.

She loves spending time with her friends and family and enjoys helping out others in her community.

Natalie Snider 
17 years old, Grade 12 
Barberton High School  
Alone in the Dark 
 

For Natalie, art is about emotion. “I like conveying things through my artwork. I want others to know that other people have the same feelings and it’s okay to feel certain ways.” She added, “When I was working on this piece, I know that silence is something that helps me. I want others to feel at peace when they look at this drawing.”

Natalie wants to become a firefighter when she gets older. She is working toward that goal by training in the Firefighter/EMT Four Cities Compact. She shared, “When I was younger, I had a house fire and I want to be that person for other people.” Her family is what inspires her most. Cheer and softball also inspire her.

Community means a lot to Natalie. When she participates in community service projects, she thinks of all the people and places in Barberton that she cares about.

Haylee Zirkle 
Grade 8 
Barberton Middle School 
Blue Jellyfish 

Haylee wants to be a meteorologist when she grows up because she likes the science of weather. Haylee shared that she’s inspired by sea life, St. Croix and the U.S. Virgin Islands. She loves the colors in art, and also wanted to make this jellyfish as realistic as possible. When she thinks of community, she thinks of the places she enjoys visiting around Barberton.

 

Madison Wowra 
16 years old, Grade 10 
Barberton High School 
Star – Ceramic, 3D 

Madison says she wants to study cosmetology because she really wants to help people feel better about themselves. She is inspired both by her parents and the thought of failure. She loves the amount of emotion you can express through both art and music.

Regarding her piece, Madison says she just really likes stars and blue/green colors, so she knew exactly what she wanted to make in her ceramics class. To her, community is like one big family, because everyone in a community is linked in one way or another.