Students, parents, teachers, families, and friends converged for one purpose on Friday, January 20 – student art. Over 200 art enthusiasts showed up to appreciate what the students created. It was wonderful to see parents take pride in their children by seeing their artwork on display at the WoodsonArt Museum.
D.C. Everest Middle School art teacher, Jeanne Archiquette, contacted the Museum on a Saturday in early December to see if the Museum could provide a venue for an art exhibition of the work students created under the instruction of student teacher Hannah Blakey during the fall semester.
It was serendipitous that I was at the Museum that Saturday for a Wisconsin Art Education Association (WAEA) Board meeting and was able to act on the request immediately. Once the proposal was approved, we met the next week to plan installation needs and the reception event.
The pedestals and wall-mounted shelves Hannah selected were given a fresh coat of paint by staff, and we had everything ready for the installation on January 16. Tuesday morning the “oohs” and “ahs” over the students’ artwork already could be heard.
There’s an array of work from nature-inspired coiled pots, aboriginal-styled landscapes, and origami German bells to “Yawnzee” pinch pots. The Yawnzee project was a favorite for Michaela, a student who created “Paul.” Michaela informed me that she used “a garlic press to create the mane” on her pinch pot.
Each nature-based coiled pot is displayed with an artist’s statement explaining the source of inspiration. A seventh-grade student named Faith wrote “I love nature, so when we were told we had to make a nature-themed pot I was so excited. I wanted to include my favorite things like waterfalls and starry skies. After we watched a video about Native American natural art, my mind was exploding with details.”
Family, friends, and teachers showed their support for the students at the evening reception and the Woodson Art Museum was proud to be the community partner that facilitated the exhibition.
