Art students showcase works from semesters
<p>Student art work was displayed in the hallways of Plains High School.</p>
PLAINS - Outside of the Plains School gymnasium on display there was an art exhibit of selected works of students from freshmen to seniors from last Monday to Wednesday. Works hung from the walls, were set up on pedestals, placed on tables or stationed to zig-zagging walls with black sheets standing in the center of the hallway.
“They got to pick out at the end of the year what they want to put in,” said art teacher, Kristen Cole. She described that the show was the final exhibit for all of her art students from the past year to show off their favorite works. She explained that she encouraged her students to put as much in as possible, so they could really show what they accomplished, and that the older and more advanced art students had less work because they had larger more time consuming projects.
To start off the exhibit there was a reception Monday night at 7:00pm where friends, family, and fellow classmates could all view the work of Cole’s art students, ranging from Art 1 to Advanced Art.
The following two days, students could walk by and get a glimpse at their fellow classmates artistic achievements. There were ceramic heads, paintings, drawing and assorted found items on display. Students drew famous celebrities, night scenes, animals, themselves, friends and still lifes.
Some of the student’s works had previously hung in the Clark Fork Valley Hospital as part of its program to decorate tone of its hallways with artwork from the public.
“All the students help set it up,” said Cole, explaining that as part of her classes, the students had to help set it up. She also mentioned, some non-art students also gave their time in helping set up the display.
With such a large collection of works, sometimes from the same artist, Cole described how it was hard to pick one student or even a few that really stood out. “I have 15 advanced art kids and those kids are probably my standouts, however I got to say there are some kids just starting out that are in Art 1 that are exceptional,” Cole said. She then said she can’t wait to see those students next year in her more advanced art classes. And as she looked around the exhibit, with a smile, Cole said, “I am proud of them.”
The following Thursday, the students who put up the show and hung their work, had to take down the whole display.