From the youngest artists to those high schoolers considering the art field as a possible career, the work of students at all grade levels was on display this past week in the old gym on the Escalon High School campus.
Part of the Arts Alive showcase, a variety of mediums were used by schools throughout the district to create pieces for display. Classes from all district schools also had the opportunity to visit during the week. A number of hands-on art activities were featured, many of them with projects for students to make and take home.
High School art teacher Erin Northcutt was enthusiastic about this year’s student submissions.
“We kind of stayed away from a theme and we used a quote instead,” she explained of what they provided to students as inspiration for their work. “Our quote was “Creativity takes courage” by (French artist) Henri Mattise so that kind of left the gates wide open for what does creativity and courage mean to you.”
The on-site activities ranged from bead friendship bracelet making to air brush temporary tattoos, building with tiles to the popular spin art.
One activity, long a favorite, the button making, was missing this year.
“We had a little ordeal where our order that we placed for activity supplies got lost and didn’t arrive,” admitted Northcutt. “Everyone always loves button making but no one’s mentioned it one time. The bracelets have been very popular.”
They used the bracelet making as an emergency fill in to cover the gap left by the lack of button making supplies.
“We had to make due; we had to get creative,” Northcutt said, chuckling.
Also on Friday, as the eighth graders from El Portal Middle School were enjoying the activities and looking at the artwork on display, they were also treated to live music by the Escalon High School Band.
“We decided, we work together, as VAPA, Visual Arts and Performing Arts, and so we wanted to showcase our amazing performing artists and all the hard work they do under Mrs. (Ashley) Silveira’s lead, she’s incredible,” noted Northcutt.
The art teacher added that having the eighth graders come in is especially important, as they can look toward what might be waiting for them during their high school years if they get involved in the arts at that level.
“It’s really fun for them to see what other students are making and creating and to see what lies ahead for them and what’s available to them when they come over here to the high school if they’re interested in art. We just ty to inspire them to maybe take an art class or two,” Northcutt said.
All of the hands-on activity stations were busy, as students enjoyed getting their faces painted, the temporary tattoos and making their take home projects.
“Everything’s been going really well, the feedback has been great, the kids are smiling and cruising around and it has been really good energy all week,” Northcutt summarized.
Every school is represented, from the rural schools of Collegeville and Farmington to those in town as well as Vista High.
With the weeklong Arts Alive showcase now concluded, the EHS Visual And Performing Arts group is now gearing up to put on the Escalon Color Run, which is scheduled for Saturday, April 18. That will be a fundraiser for the VAPA group, with the run covering a one-mile loop on the EHS campus. Cost is $25 per person and includes a T-shirt; participants can run, jog, walk or use a combination, with options for a color or ‘no color’ zone as well.
Warm-ups will begin at 7:45 a.m. on April 18 and the Color Run itself kicks off at 8 a.m.
