CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) — Students from the Western Albemarle High School chapter of the National Art Honor Society will have a chance to showcase and sell their work to community members at the Crozet Artisan Depot this weekend.

The depot will be hosting a special one-day pop-up art show this Saturday and will feature a variety of art pieces across different mediums, including both 2D and 3D. The event is free and open to the public.

“It’s a great opportunity for the whole National Art Society at Western just to kind of get more involved in the community, as we want to try and start working more locally and with others, and also just introduce our young artists into the community,” WAHS Chapter President Mia Aminuddin told Cville Right Now

The event came about when Beth Wiseman, one of four partners at the depot, was approached by the chapter’s leadership about doing a community collaboration. Wiseman has close ties to the chapter, with two kids at Western Albemarle currently and one in the chapter. She said this type of event is “something really new” for the depot.

“We love supporting artists at every stage,” she told Cville Right Now. “So, making this connection between establish artists and this next generation of creatives, I think is really exciting and something I would be thrilled to do more of.”

WAHS Art Teacher and the chapter’s sponsor Adam Reinhard told Cville Right Now this is the first show of this kind the chapter has done, but he’s already in talks with other venues to do similar events, with proceeds going toward the chapter’s future projects. Between these shows with the National Art Honor Society and others featuring work from the art department as whole, Reinhard said he’s looking to get more student artwork out into the community.

“They’re way more talented than I ever was in high school,” he said of his students, “and I want people to see that, but I also want them to see that people will buy their work. Right now, even as student artists, they are doing really exceptional stuff, and so I want them to kind of have the opportunity to get that confidence of being able to sell a piece and see how good that feels.”

All proceeds from the artwork itself will be going toward the students themselves as well as the society at Western as a whole. There will also be a bake sale at the event to raise further funds for the chapter. These funds will help the chapter, which is in just its fourth year, cover dues and buy materials for other projects.

For the students, the pop-up show will also provide them with a unique experience that’s further connect them to their community and the art world as a whole.

“It’s a great gateway opportunity for students to kind of veer into the professional world of art,” Miriam Walcott, an officer with WAHS’ chapter, told Cville Right Now.

Reinhard said those interested in supporting the society can do so by simply showing up and encouraging the students in their work. He said he’ll be there most of the day as well and is happy to chat about the chapter’s other projects, including the pipe cleaner flower bouquets they’re currently working on for UVA Health Children’s, as well as their time volunteering with art classes at the local elementary schools.

“They’re doing really good work and bringing art to the community,” he said, “and I just want them to have the opportunity to showcase that.”