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[caption id="attachment_47148" align="alignnone" width="800"] Rose sculptures by Ms. Lawry's third grade class at John Marshall Elementary School in East Hampton. Dawn Watson photos.[/caption]
By Dawn Watson
When visiting a good museum, art lovers would probably not be shocked to see a painting by an artist of the caliber of Matisse or Cézanne. But viewing multiple variations and sources of this type of prodigious talent is an entirely different matter.
Those who come to view the newest exhibit at Guild Hall in East Hampton from Saturday, January 16, through Sunday, February 21, are in for an artistic treat of considerable proportion—as there will be many such creative works on display. According to Curatorial Assistant Stephanie deTroy Miller, Guild Hall’s 24th annual “Student Arts Festival Part I, Grades K-8” will not only contain a great number of Matisse-inspired cutouts, created by the fourth graders at the Montauk Public School, at least one giant mural that references Cézanne’s still life flowers, courtesy of the students at the Sagaponack Common School, and literally thousands of pieces of outstanding artwork.
The large group show—which draws budding artists from Sag Harbor Elementary, East Hampton Elementary, Ross Lower School, Bridgehampton Elementary, Montauk Public School, Child Development Center of the Hamptons, Sagaponack Common School, Wainscott School, Springs Public School, Amagansett School and a few home-schooled children too—will feature a multitude of exceptional work, says Ms. Miller.
There will be handmade clay pinch-pot animals, constructed by the fourth graders at John Marshall Elementary School in East Hampton; Sumerian Cylinder Seals from the fifth graders at the Ross School; 21 drawings of angry cats from the students at the Wainscott School; and a mixed media mural created by youngsters who attend the Child Development Center of the Hamptons. Other confirmed entries in this year’s big show for local elementary- and middle-school-age students include: ceramic dinosaurs, self-portraits and leaf impressions in watercolors by Ross Lower School students; a giant canvas of a weeping willow by the children at the Sagaponack Common School; Egyptian portraits by students who attend Springs Elementary; and a 4-foot-long Hungry Caterpillar and Aztec calendars in color pencil by Montauk Public School students.
For a show this big, it will take every inch of wall space, and quite a bit of the floor space as well, in the Woodhouse and Moran Galleries. The galleries will literally be covered with student art, reports Guild Hall’s General Manager Jennifer Brondo. And the work is surprisingly quite accomplished, she adds.
“When people come to look at this show, they are inevitably shocked at how good the art is,” she says.
Ms. Brondo, who is participating in her sixth year with the student annual exhibition, is in charge of the accompanying stage performances that share the spotlight with the art exhibit during the opening reception, which will be held on Saturday, January 23, from 2 to 4 p.m. Performed by local students, the idea of the song-and-dance component is to create an integrated event and multi-disciplinary showcase for artistic expression, she reports.
“It’s a nice juxtaposition to see the kids express themselves in every type of artistic way,” says Ms. Brondo. “And when reception day comes, it’s incredible to see their joy when they experience their own art on the walls and get to perform onstage.”
This year, confirmed performing acts will include the Springs School Chorus, Amagansett School Chorus, the East Hampton Middle School Dance Team and a group of dancers from the East Hampton YMCA. Other events held in association with the “Student Arts Festival Part I, Grades K-8,” Guild Hall include free Open Art Studio time for kids in the Boots Lamb Education Center on Saturdays and Sundays for the duration of the exhibit and a Citarella Valentine’s Day Cookie Decorating Workshop, which will be held on Saturday, February 13, at 1 p.m. The cost for that event is $8, or $6 for members.
Once the “Student Arts Festival Part I, Grades K-8,” show comes down, the “Student Arts Festival Part II, Grades 9-12” will open. That exhibition, which features artwork, performances and student films, will be on view from Saturday, March 5, through Sunday, April 3, with an opening reception planned for Saturday, March 12, from 2 to 4 p.m.
The entire “Student Arts Festival” program is a boon for the community, say Ms. Miller and Ms. Brondo. It not only provides a place for children and teens to show their creativity, it also creates an occasion where adults can be inspired.
“The whole affair is just a fantastic opportunity for the kids,” says Ms. Miller. “To be able to show in a museum … I wish I had this kind of opportunity when I was growing up.”
Ms. Brondo, who is days away from delivering her first baby, says that she can’t wait for when the time comes for her child to show his artwork at Guild Hall in a couple of years.
“My husband [Joe Brondo, who is Guild Hall’s Assistant Technical Director for the John Drew Theater] went to school here in East Hampton and got to do it. And I can’t wait to experience this with our son,” she says. “It’s an incredible experience to see just what our kids can create.”
The annual “Student Arts Festival: Part I, Grades K-8” free exhibit will be on view at Guild Hall from Saturday, January 16, through Sunday, February 21. An opening reception is planned for Saturday, January 23, from 2 to 4 p.m. Learn more at www.guildhall.org.
on Jan 12, 2016