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Date: 1/24/2024
ENFIELD — Enfield High School senior Abby Poreda has a solo exhibition of her artwork at the historic Pearl Street Library, 159 Pearl St.
Her artwork is being displayed through a partnership between the Pearl Street Library and the Enfield Public Schools.
“This is mind blowing,” said Poreda. “It’s always been a part of me to be creative so now that I have an outlet it’s just been amazing.”
The partnership between the Enfield Public School art department and the Pearl Street Library was made possible due to a grant from the Enfield Culture and Arts Commission. The grant allowed the Pearl Street Library to purchase and install a walker hanging system for the display of artwork. Head Librarian Aimee Sixt has been working with the Enfield Public Schools Art Department and the Enfield Community for the last three years to facilitate art exhibitions by Enfield Public School students and local Enfield artists.
Poreda’s father Daniel said, “It’s just another milestone that Abby has since the sixth grade, when she started getting acknowledgment of her artwork.”
Poreda’s mother Renee added, “It really means a lot to us and I really think what everybody is doing is just making art more important to the town of Enfield and I’m so glad that Abby is a big part of that.”
Poreda has been making art since she was 4. Her favorites are acrylic paint and charcoal drawings. She also does fabric work customizing jackets and T-shirts, personalizing all kinds of clothing for herself and friends. Poreda has taken a range of visual arts courses during her tenure at Enfield High School and is currently enrolled in Honors Portfolio Preparation and Ceramics.
One of her paintings “Light” from the art show was just accepted into the Scholastic Art Competition and will be featured in the Connecticut Regional Art Awards Exhibit at the University of Hartford’s School of Art through Feb. 3, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 12-5 p.m.
Much of Poreda’s work is inspired by experiences in her life and things that are important to her. K-12 art coordinator and teacher Chris Scioscio at Enfield High School said, “Abby has worked for several years developing a high degree of artistic skill, holding realism and the ability to draw and paint realistically in the highest regard. Her artwork connects directly to her personal life making the content meaningful and often relatable.”
He continued, “Recently, she has made a conscious effort to loosen up her artistic style and make more gestural and expressive work. The years spent honing her craft has given her the ability to paint and draw with skill and precision while embracing a freer and fluid artistic style. Her newest work includes a more intentional approach to color theory and colors relationship to human emotion.”
Poreda’s main goal at the moment is to keep pushing herself further. For the longest time, Poreda said she was stuck in a small box with her art because it was her comfort zone, but she’s been breaking free from that and trying to let herself take risks.
“That’s why all these opportunities I’ve been given lately have been so amazing,” Poreda said. “I’ve gotten the chance to be closer with my community, who have really helped me find hope and confidence in myself. I struggle a lot with that, so much so that for the longest time I had convinced myself not to chase my dreams. All of this has been so eye opening, and I couldn’t be more grateful to everyone who has helped me.”
Poreda’s artwork is currently available to view at the library until Feb. 15. An artist’s reception sponsored by the Friends of the Enfield Library will be held at the library on Thursday, Feb. 8, from 5:30-7:30 p.m.