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VALLEY — The big gym at Valley Community Center was filled with artworks this past weekend. Students from local schools, both public and private, along with home school students were able to exhibit their works in the inaugural Make My Art Youth Art Show presented by the Valley Arts Council.

Arts Council President Suzie Britt was pleased with the participation on the part of local youth and was impressed with the creativity that was seen.

Students from the elementary grades through high school took part in it. Medals and trophies were awarded to the winners.

Two of the artists, eighth grade student Adam Leishman and Valley High junior Isiah Alexander, love to sketch and have already filled sketch books with their drawings. Both started when they were five years old and are looking at pursuing their natural talent for art in professional careers.

Adam was accompanied to the show by his dad, who works in the West Point Post Office. The family lives in the Beulah community, where Adam and nine-year-old brother Titan go to school. Their mom Jetta works as a nurse and has worked as a tattoo artist. Jetta and her husband each have tattoos of famed bank robbers Bonny and Clyde. Adam likes the comic kind of tattoo and would like to be a tattoo artist one day. He’s now very good at drawing caricatures.

One of them won an award at the show. It depicts the four main characters from the 1990 movie Good Fellas. Ray Liotta played the part of Henry Hill, Robert DeNiro was James Conway, Joe Pesci portrayed Tommy DeVito and Paul Sorvino was Paul Cicero.

For anyone who had seen the movie, it was easy to tell which one was which in Adam’s drawing.

Isiah is constantly sketching images. He has already filled a number of sketch books. He especially likes to draw human figures. His books are filled with highly realistic images of athletes and people experiencing a variety of emotions. A work of his called Somber won an award at the show. As the word suggests, it depicted someone who was sad and in need of cheering up,

Isiah is originally from Talbot County, Georgia. He lived with his family in a rural area and attended school in the county seat of Talbotton. He really likes being at Valley High and his grades have picked up since transferring here. “I like to study art,” he said. “I like to learn about how to do landscapes and perspectives. I like to be creative with what I put on paper.”

He’s currently working on a mural in the school’s media center. He’s hoping it will be put in a frame when he’s finished. “I have a good feeling about being at Valley High,” he said. “I’m using bright colors to get that across in my artwork. It is very satisfying when an artwork you’re working on starts coming together.”

Isiah recently took part in an art show in Roanoke. “There were lots of amazing artists there,” he said. “It was good to learn from them. I love to draw. When a pencil is in my hand, I can express my feelings in a sketch book. I love it when it all comes together.”

Isiah said he’s looking at going into military service past high school but wants to get into an art career at some point. “I would love to earn an art degree in college and to teach the subject,” he said. “Expressing yourself in art and talking about it with others is such a good outlet for people. I love showing my work to people and getting feedback from them. I appreciate the ideas I get from them. They are helping me pursue my dream when they do that. I want to focus on art in my life. It has been good for me, and I hope to continue with it.”

Isiah is hoping to attend a two-week camp this summer for aspiring artists. “My teachers have been so helpful to me, especially Mrs. Emfinger and Mrs. Smith.”

Isiah has also experimented with doing a video. He’s done a short film he calls “Outback.” It’s about five-and-a-half minutes long. “It was a lot of fun,” he said.