The Babylon Village Arts Council is proud to announce its art partnership program with the Babylon High School Art Department to foster the love of art in the next generation. Two Babylon High School students, Carissa Arena and Katherine Orifici will create works of art with supplies in the amount of $300 per student. Under the guidance of Cheryl Schweider, art teacher at Babylon High School, students will learn time management skills, budget constraints, and design options. To experience a real life art exhibit each participant exhibited their work at the 16th Annual Outdoor Art show entitled “Art by the Falls” on May 17, 2025 in Argyle Park which will provide real life interaction with the public. Their work will be displayed at Webster Bank as part of the Rotational Art Program. This program is funded through BVAC membership.

Carissa Arena is a junior at Babylon High School enrolled in the Portfolio art class. She
has been taking advanced art classes since eighth grade and has participated in various art programs and workshops outside of school since elementary school. She has also show-
cased her artwork in exhibitions such as Apples and Arts, the NYSSBA virtual show, SCALA, and special events like the art display at The Pizzeria in Babylon.As a member of the
National Art Honor Society, she is passionate about her craft, and her favorite medium to
work with is acrylic paint. She draws inspiration for her paintings from her interests—music,
favorite movies, and personal experiences—translating them onto canvas in a way that
allows others to glimpse her thoughts. For her, art is more than just a hobby; it is a calming,
enjoyable, and deeply expressive form of communication—one that speaks louder than
words ever could.

Katherine Orifici is a Junior at the Babylon High School. She has taken art classes since she
was young, showing her creativity to the world both in and out of the classroom. She
has continued her love for art throughout school, taking the Studio 1 Art Class up to Studio
3. learning various techniques and mediums, as well as studying art history. She is now taking the Portfolio Art course at her school, where she is learning under Mrs. Cheryl Sch-
weider. As an art student, her works have been featured in the SCALA High School art shows held in Babylon’s Town Hall, as well as being featured in the Babylon Village Apples
and Arts Festival for the past 2 years. She is an active member of her school’s Art Honor
Society and has made herself a part of many activities, including painting Memory Portraits
for young, underprivileged children in India, and painting one of the many large murals in
the Gilgo Beach tunnel this past May. As an artist, Katherine loves to express herself through color and is often both inspired by nature, observing the actions of people around her, interpreting emotions and putting them all into art. Although she loves painting, she also finds joy in experimenting with different mediums such as cray-pen, chalk pastels, and
watercolors! She is extremely proud and excited to be featured in this experience, and
hopes you enjoy her work!

If interested in sponsoring this program for next year, consider becoming a member. Keeping the arts in the forefront benefits the community in positive ways and fosters a love for the arts for all ages. Check BVAC out on Facebook, Instagram, Meetup and X. Contact Rose Norman at 631-669-1810 or rnorman@babylonvillagearts.org.
Art Partnership Program
