Attica Central School District

One of the perks of being an art teacher, said Attica middle and high school art teachers Tressa Smith and Laura Steves, is watching students grow and develop artistically while they’re in your classroom. But one of the best feelings is seeing a former student continue to have success when they grow up and head out into the “real world.” 

That’s why the pair’s visit along with Attica Elementary School Art Teacher Sara Lewinski to the opening reception for Attica alumnus Eugene Sims’s new show, “Perform@tive,” last month in downtown Buffalo was so rewarding.

“To say that we were impressed with Eugene’s work would be a gross understatement,” said Steves.

Added Smith: “He’s an exceptional talent and one we’re all proud to say have passed through the doors of our classrooms.”

The show, which runs through May 12 at Beebe’s on the Square in Buffalo, features about a dozen of the 2013 Attica grad’s paintings and serves as a senior thesis for Sims, a graduate student in the University of Buffalo’s fine arts program.

Working primarily in oil paints, Sims’s show delves into what it means to be performative. In each painting, his self portrait takes on a different persona - a rebel, a jester, a hero - to create a narrative that generates discussion about how we present ourselves in the world.

“He was a very creative thinker,” said Smith. “He may not have had the skill you see in these paintings when he was in high school, but what he did have was the desire to think differently, take risks, work hard, and try his best.”

Back in high school, Sims’s preferred medium seemed to be cartoon caricatures, Steves recalled.

“He had a lot of energy and would be constantly thinking about all the different things he could do with assigned projects to make them his own,” she said. “These characteristics are what can make you a successful artist. Eugene is a testament to what hard work, determination, and pure grit can get you in life.”

Now if you find yourself reading this post, looking at the photos of Sims’s artworks and thinking to yourself, “Wow! His work is phenomenal - he must be one of a very small number of Attica alumni who have gone on to be successful in the arts,” we’d understand, but you’d be wrong!

“Off the top of my head I can think of former students who’ve gone on to be art teachers, tattoo artists, large-scale wood sculptors, digital film artists, museum curators, illustrators and estheticians,” said Steves. “And honestly, the list goes on.”

So for all the students - or parents of students - out there with a love of art, we hope Eugene’s artistic journey serves as a testament to where determination, encouragement, and hard work can get you.

“I actually brought the show up to my current middle schoolers recently and they were really interested to hear Eugene’s story and learn that an Attica student could go on to be a ‘real-life’ artist,” said Smith. “In fact earlier this week, they asked to see photos from the show and we had a great class discussion about his work as well as the prices they were listed for. They were super excited when I told them that, when we arrived at the show, a quarter of Eugene’s paintings had already been sold!”

Sims is slated to graduate later this month with his master’s of fine arts degree from UB.

Congratulations, Eugene, on this incredible show and your forthcoming degree - we can’t wait to see what you create next!

Pictured in the group photo from left are Whitney Kehl-Chamberlain (Attica Class of 2013), Attica Elementary School Art Teacher Sara Lewinski, Attica High School Art Teacher Laura Steves, Eugene Sims, Anthony Siracuse (Class of 2013), Attica Middle School Art Teacher Mrs. Tressa Smith and Matt Kantor (Class of 2013).