Advocating by Exhibit

How important is it for you to exhibit your student's art? I personally believe it is incredibly important! And that's why I try to participate as much as possible when a call for artwork goes out.  I believe that displaying artwork is a form of advocating for the arts and without it, why have art?

It's not among one of the easiest parts of our job. It takes up a lot of time. Time to choose it, mat it, label it, send it out or drop it off.  Sometimes work needs to be a certain size, there are many pieces of art to choose from, sometimes I need to send the work out before all the classes are done and it doesn't give everyone a chance to be picked. I may only be able to pick 4 pieces of art and there are over 500 students in the school. If it's a long term placement, that eliminates 5th graders because they will no longer be in my school when the work is returned. And I ALWAYS notify parents where their student's art work is on display if it is not being displayed at school. To read about how I set up a school exhibit click here.

 

 
If the art is to be displayed long term, I photograph it and send a copy home with a letter as to where it will be displayed. To keep track of which student belonged to which art work I have the app Meme Design on my phone and put their names on the photos.

So when I was asked to participate in sending art over to the local courthouse, I did! This is the second year I sent them work, however, because I was on medical leave I totally missed out on the Student Artist Reception last year. But I made it there this year and it was wonderful!

My principal and I received invitations along with the students. Three out of the four students were there with their families and it was really quite an honor for them. I think in the grand scheme of pulling together artwork to display, we forget how meaningful it is to the students whose work gets to be admired. It really made me feel good to see how happy my students were to be acknowledged. They received certificates and American Flags and they got their photos taken.

Another student exhibit that my 4th graders participate in is at The Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art.

The museum has a Student Expression wall and we have been getting the wall for a month each year for several years now. Read about it how it got started here. And the really special part is that I take the 4th graders there on a field trip each year. In preparation for the trip I do a pretty cool activity with my students that you can read about here. Another fun museum activity can be found here.

Along with the above exhibits, I send art to be displayed at the district office.

The county fair, for 2 separate areas. The art exhibit and the school exhibit.

 

With always displaying student work, most of us forget to consider displaying our own work. I have been slowly fixing that and have had some pieces on display here and there in the past two years.

There is going to be a display of art from Pasco County Schools Art Specialists and I will be included. The exhibit is titled My Art and will be at the Center for the Arts at Wesley Chapel from May 4th to May 20th. My photograph of a sea urchin titled Expansion will be in the exhibit.

How often do you display student work? How about your own work? What are some of the ways in which you advocate for the arts?

Thanks for Reading!!!