In 1989, the Morris Museum in Morristown launched “Fresh Perspectives,” a juried exhibition that gave an opportunity for artistically accomplished New Jersey high school students to express their curiosity and creativity in a variety of media, such as photography, drawing, painting and sculpture.
This year’s exhibition showcased 50 entries recognized by the museum’s jury panel and included artworks by students of Jason Stewart and Wendell Jeffrey at Ridge High School: Jiayue Liu, Dylan Beers, Maori Flores, Cynthia Ku and Yuying Wang.
One of the jurors, James Yarosh, owner of James Yarosh & Associates, a fine art gallery in Holmdel, says, “I was grateful to be given judging honors once again by the Morris Museum for the 2023 ‘Fresh Perspectives’ exhibition, a program that nurtures and encourages young artists. The entries were very impressive.”
The young artists discuss their art:
Yuying Wang
Graduate, Class of 2023
“Day-Lilies in the Coming Night” (earthenware with glazes)
“Daylilies in the Coming Night” is a part of a series of vessels, coil-built using stoneware clay and glazed using a combination of glazing techniques: brushing, dripping, sponging and more. I was inspired by the shift of nature into more of a commodity in modern society, deciding to delve deeper into this topic by creating pieces that uphold the integrity of nature yet are negatively affected by artificial, exterior sources.
This allowed me to observe the irony of recreating nature through processed materials and methods. In my work, I also explore the following dilemmas: functional vs. non-functional, light vs. dark and color vs. monochrome. Having been designing and producing ceramic art pieces for the past four years—and maybe even more, considering the many classes I took when I was 7 years old—I hope to continue my passion and hobby of creating works of expression through clay.
Jiayue Liu
Graduate, Class of 2023
“Cat in the Forbidden City” (tea, coffee, watercolor, gouache, acrylic on paper)
The piece was created by first staining watercolor paper with matcha, coffee and flowers to create a mixture of colors and miscellaneous patterns in the background. Then, the foreground was established using gouache and white acrylic for fur details. The inspiration for the work stretches back to the cats in China's Forbidden City. There has been a long history of stranded cats within the ancient Forbidden City, receiving popularity and showcasing their rich historic background.
Cynthia Ku
Graduate, Class of 2023"
“Intellectual Solidity” (graphite on paper)
Being able to sort through the abstract nature of our thoughts tangled in our brain like wires will allow us to form intellectually solid impacts in our society, punching holes in our worlds to bring them together.
Dylan Beers
Grade 12
“Flip Book” (pastel on paper)
I draw because I love the idea of bringing an image to life and telling a story. I am inspired by animation and making flip books like the one in the drawing. I try to convey meaning across my art and tell a story, and this pastel drawing symbolizes my love of animation.
Maori Flores
Grade 12
“Handful” (pastel on paper)
Panoptes Sagittate (whose name stems from the giant Argus Pantotpes in Greek mythology) are arrowhead-shaped leaves, each with an eye located in its center. Often found in clusters or groups, these creatures take on their role as watchful guardians, making sure no being causes harm to another or goes back on their word. To create this piece, I used pastels as well as charcoal for the finer details. Although this is one of my very first pieces using these materials, I hope to continue to experiment with them and improve in future pieces.
I draw because I love the idea of bringing an image to life and telling a story. —Dylan Beers