On Sunday, March 22, the walls of the Community Arts Center became vibrant as student artwork from kindergarten to 12th grade filled the gallery. From colorful elementary paintings to intricate AP 3D Art sculptures, the exhibit highlighted not only artistic talent and creativity, but also the dedication of students and teachers across the school district.
The biennial Art of WSSD event is in its 26th year, with the current space in the Community Arts Center being about 18 years old.
In this year’s event, 10 art teachers from SRS, NPE, WES, SHMS, and SHHS selected 10 pieces from their students’ portfolios to display in the gallery which best represented their curriculum for the year.
The event continues to act as a bridge between the schools and the community by showcasing student work in a professional setting.
“Personally, this means a lot to me,” senior AP 3D art student Amelia Badura said. “I actually did a lot here at the Community Arts Center as a kid. I was pretty much here every summer, all summer. I did the camps here, I did classes here. So it’s kind of like a full circle type thing because I used to hang out in this gallery all the time and eat lunch with my friends and see all the art up on the walls. And so it’s really awesome that now I have my pieces in it.”
In addition to creating the artwork, AP Art students worked together to create the exhibit by carefully placing all of the student artwork around the center with help from advisors.
“Within an hour, everything was placed where we thought we wanted it, and then another hour later, everything was done. We didn’t even need to come back the next day,” art teacher Scott Rodgers said.
The art students faced some difficulties while helping to set up the exhibit, such as having to get extremely heavy art pedestals onto the main floor and lift them into place.
“We had three elevators full of them, floor to ceiling, the entire span, where only like two people could stand in there, very cramped. So it was a whole process, but it was fun. It was like a little community building experience,” Badura said.
Some students also found difficulty in trying to hang artwork up on the walls.
“I was trying to use a hammer and it was embarrassing,” senior AP 2D art student Fletcher Noto said. “But we got it down pretty quick and it was fun.”
Even for AP art students, who are greatly experienced and have taken their interests in art to extreme places of dedication, they still appreciated the art and creativity of younger students.
“I really liked looking at the elementary art. A lot of them were speaking to me. This one kid drew Yoshi and I loved it,” Noto said.
In all, this event helps students gain confidence in their artwork and themselves. It creates a place where their pieces can be appreciated by the public in a formal setting, which can foster a sense of accomplishment.
“It’s an amazing [exhibit] to show the community what’s happening in our groups and the art education that they’re getting,” Rodgers said. “It’s just spectacular for the kids to see their artwork displayed in such a professional environment.”
