CENTERBURG – A Centerburg High School senior’s tribute to the victim of a racially motivated hate crime is headed to the Vern Riffe Center for Government and the Arts in Columbus.
Amaiah Gammell’s acrylic painting of Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man murdered in Georgia in 2020, will be displayed for two years in the hallway that connects the Riffe Center to the Ohio Statehouse.
One invitation-only student artwork from each of Ohio’s 99 House districts was selected for the 2022-2024 Ohio House of Representatives' student art exhibition. Gammell’s painting was chosen from District 68, which includes all of Knox County and southeastern Delaware County.
“Fighting racism is very important to me,” Gammell said. “I painted him (Arbery) because I believe it is important to shine a light on those killed because of racism.”
Three men involved in killing Arbery as he jogged near Brunswick, Ga., were convicted of his murder and sentenced to life in prison.
Gammell created a freehand sketch of Arbery, then mixed acrylic paint at school before completing her painting over two days at home.
Staff at the Riffe Center will photograph Gammell’s painting, then enlarge it to a 16- by 18-inch print before matting and framing it.
She included the painting in a 15-piece portfolio for her application to Miami University of Ohio, but now she is leaning toward enrolling at Ohio State University.
“My goal is to become an art therapist by majoring in art with a minor in psychology,” said Gammell, a Centerburg student since kindergarten. “Art therapists use art to help heal children who have issues or veterans suffering from PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). Art helps them to open up.”
Art teacher Amanda Gross has had Gammell in class since the eighth grade.
“I have seen great improvement in the quality and depth of her work,” Gross said.
“Amaiah definitely has found her passion.”
– Submitted by Larry Gibbs, Knox Educational Service Center
.webp)
.webp)
