The new Young Artist featured at the Corner Gallery for the months of December and January comes from a family of artists. Riley Bogner credits her aunt (Corner Gallery member Jill Millward) and other more distant family members who paint as major influences in her life. Riley explains that she has always liked doing art, and that she drew on everything when she was little. As sure got older she kept wanting to do art more and more, which led to art classes in middle school and an increasing interest in art while in high school. Riley elaborates, "I really started learning in high school with a project in my junior year to pick a famous artist for a presentation. I chose Hilma Klimt, who does abstract paintings, and that is what I mostly do now." Riley is currently a high school senior and she especially likes her art classes with art instructor Rose Easterbrook.

 

This show at the Corner Gallery will be Riley's very first opportunity to present her work to the public in a formal setting. When asked how she feels about that, the artist grinned shyly and admitted, "It's scary. Just having my work where everyone can look at it and judge it is intimidating, but it's also great to have others get to enjoy what I do." Riley thought for a minute and continued with another smile, "It wouldn't be good to just hide my art away."

 

When asked what makes her want to do art, Riley answered that she just loves doing it. She continued, "It's fun to draw things that are both real and abstract. It's a way to show what's in my head so someone else can see that." It seems clear that this young woman subscribes to the theory that a picture is worth a thousand words.

 

An emphatic "Yes, definitely!" was Riley's immediate answer when questioned if she sees herself continuing to do art in the future. She is currently applying to colleges all over California  which have good art programs. And her thoughts for the distant future are that she might want to be an art teacher.

 

Riley Bogner's art will debut on the Young Artist Wall at the Corner Gallery (201 S State St in Ukiah) on First Friday, December 3 from 5-8pm. Regular gallery hours are Tuesday though Saturday from 11-5. There will be a special holiday addition of Sunday hours for the month of December, from 11-2.