Finley Artists Selected for Flowerfield Exhibit & Show
February 27, 2026
A skilled group of ten J. Taylor Finley Middle School students have had artwork chosen for exhibit at the 5th Annual Middle & High School Student Artists Juried Show at The New Atelier at Flowerfield in St. James.
The Finley student-artists include Luna Ramirez, Andrew Parrott, Sydney Amar, Natalie Buchner, Isla Campbell, Charlotte Rizzo, Ava Tortora, Julia Lanzilotta, Delany Madden and Katherine Gooch.
“I’m so excited to share the news that ten of my eighth-grade Accelerated Studio in Art students were accepted into the regional art exhibition located at The New Atelier at Flowerfield,” Finley art teacher Jessica Simms said.
The opening reception and awards ceremony will be held on Saturday, March 7 from 12-2 p.m. The exhibit will continue through March 12.
“I’m so proud of our students,” Finley Principal Traci Roethel said. “Nice job to everyone involved.”
Ms. Simms obtained an undergraduate degree at Stony Brook University in studio art in 2018 and a Master of Arts degree at Adelphi University in art education in 2021. In 2018 she received the Staller Center Award of Excellence for her ceramic installation “Phases.”
Throughout her time studying at Stony Brook, she taught at and managed a small children’s art studio in Port Jefferson until its closure in 2019. She began working in Huntington in 2021, where she continues to teach seventh-grade art and Accelerated Studio in Art at Finley. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, visiting national parks and experiencing nature, art, and culture of different places. Her hobbies outside of work include film photography, reading, cooking, and going to live music performances. She loves to learn new things, always seeking out new art practices and projects to take on in her downtime.
The exhibition at The Atelier at Flowerfield encourages the work of middle and high school student artists in all visual arts except photography and video. It is being held in The Atelier’s 2,000 square foot gallery, which functions both as a professional studio space and exhibition area. The gallery is open Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There is no charge to enter.