On Wednesday, May 7, hundreds of students, parents, and teachers filled the Walpole Public Library to view some of the showcased artwork at the 11th annual District Art Show. Representing every project at each school and grade level, the selected artwork ranged from paper cut out projects by elementary school students to the more advanced self-portraits of the high school’s AP art students.
The numerous art shows that are held each year always draw attention from the community. In past years the art show was held at the High School—in the entrance and in the library—and drew approximately 2,000 attendees; however, last year the District Art Show was moved to the Walpole Public Library and the viewing audience over the past two years has increased dramatically as more artwork can be showcased.
This year, as eager students and their families entered the library, they saw examples of all different types of showcased art. Boards full of a variety of projects, organized by grade level, filled every corner of the Walpole Public Library, extending from the main entrance into the downstairs open space, the kids section and upstairs. Parents gathered around the boards and the walls where the artwork was located, while students pointed out their pieces. “We always get a great reception from all. People are amazed at the student work. The students love to have their work exhibited in a public venue,” said Walpole High School Art Department Head, Ms. Sandra Allison.
Although the AP art students already held their AP art show at the high school, various pieces of their work were showcased. Highlight pieces included senior Jess Ownes’ AP drawing piece of the lifelike werewolf and senior Ashley Waldron’s AP drawing piece of a chained cake. Sculptures also dominated the art scene: lifelike hearts were showcased alongside cardboard construction vehicles and abstract pieces. Waldron said, “Even though we already had the AP art show, this is another opportunity for even more of the community to see our work and it’s cool to see people’s reactions to it.”
The huge span of pieces from the elementary drawings to the AP drawings showcased how extensive the art program in Walpole is. The displays at the art shows each year clearly illustrate the amount of time and effort that go in to each piece and showcase the amount of dedication that the teachers have for their students and their growth as art students. “Each school is recognized and I think it is important for the community to see the artwork displayed in a sequential order through the grade levels. Parents and students can see the strong link between essential standards learned at each level and the learning targets used to create the artwork,” said Allison. Despite the reception taking place at the beginning of May, the artwork will remain on display at the public library through the end of May for visitors to see.
