NEW PALESTINE — There is joy in art and opportunities to create a project are all around. That’s the way Eastern Hancock High School senior Evelyn Stout sees the world. Stout feels like any mundane thing has the foundation of creativity if the artist looks at it the right way.
“This is all the artwork that I’ve made for class this year,” she said. “Some of these are class pieces and some of them are independent work.”
Standing next to her exhibit showcasing several pieces of work, Stout was one of hundreds of Hancock County students getting a chance to show off their artistic skills this past Thursday and Friday at New Palestine High School.
The 36th Hancock County Art Exhibit was held in the school’s main gym giving over 2,500 works of art from the county’s students in kindergarten through high school an opportunity to be seen. Identified by organizers as one of the largest exhibits of K-12 student generated art in the state, the event is quite the happening.
NPHS art teacher Clyde Gaw is one of three educators who work with students at NPHS where he noted some 400 students take the classes each year. In addition to having art teachers at the flagship school, the district has a dedicated art teacher for each of their six buildings, highlighting the importance of art education.
“We’ve got older teachers and newer ones continuing the tradition of supporting art because the school district feels art is a core component of a student’s learning experience,” Gaw said. “The folks in Hancock County, including the school administrators and art community, including the Hancock County Arts Council, supports us and they too invite us to exhibit annually.”
For art students like Mia Harr, a freshman at Greenfield-Central High School, the county art show is one of a few chances she gets to showcase her talent.
“I think this is pretty fun and it’s an honor,” Harr said.
Harr said she loves art because it has no boundaries. Artist can make whatever their minds can imagine.
“With art, there are no limits and it’s such a creative outlet,” she said.
Harr had several pieces on display including a bold yellow and blue painting of a woman that stood out against a black backdrop.
From hand paintings to 3-D art, the students filled the area with works of art, making their teachers, families and themselves proud of their accomplishments.
Breauna Morales, a senior at G-CHS, plans to continue her art education in college. She loved getting a chance to share some of her work with classmates and others in the county.
“I like seeing the work some of the other seniors have created because, if they’re not going to college, this might be the last chance for them to get to share their work for free,” Morales said. “As an artist, it’s always neat to see your work on display at this art show.”
She was particularly proud of a yellow and purple container painting she created that captured unhappy tears.
“I’ve spent a lot of time on this and it will be nice to see others get a chance to see my work,” she said.
Art teachers from Greenfield-Central, Christine Heller, who teachers at Eden and Weston elementary schools and Melissa Reynolds, who works with students at Maxwell and Greenfield Intermediate schools, say they enjoy being part of the Hancock County Art Show each year.
“I let my kids choose if they want to be part of this show or not,” Heller said. “If they feel like they have something they’ve worked hard on or are proud of, they can put it in.”
Heller noted she gives the elementary students a lesson plan and then lets them have at it. As for Reynolds, who works with over 1,000 students, she loves that all of the county schools come together for the one big show each year. With so many students under her watch, she has to pick the art work that gets displayed.
“The kids get excited when they hear their work has been selected,” Reynolds said. “I look for the kids that are excited about coming into art class and are putting forth the effort.”
One of her favorite pieces the year was a painting of a dog with Bob Ross hair. Ross used to have an art show on television, “The Joy of Painting,” in the 80s, and Reynolds loved it and uses it for inspiration. One of her students, Landon Guzick, Maxwell Intermediate, picked up on that and made a fun picture of a dog with Bob’s large hair.
“The kids all know I’m a Bob Ross fan, so he was inspired by my posters,” she said with a laugh.
