Local Art Display Empowers Young Children

By: Grace Smith – Wise News Network 

GASTONIA, NC (WNN) – Celebrate the young artists of Cherryville by visiting the “Through an Artist’s Eyes” art display. A variety of mediums are represented, showcasing the versatility of Cherryville schools’ art programs.

Through an Artist’s Eyes can be observed at the Loray Mills Lofts in Gastonia, North Carolina. It is an annual display hosted by Gaston County Schools. Art programs all across Gaston County participated.

Students from Cherryville Elementary School, John Chavis Middle School and Cherryville High School have art on display, offering a diverse range of techniques and skill levels. 

The art display showcases many categories, such as: painting, drawing, sculpting and photography. Two seventh graders from John Chavis won prizes in the sculpture category for their snack models. 

Clara Skamarock crafted an extra-large Skittles package. She got every detail right, down to the nutrition facts. Rylee Anderson made a Cheez-It Snap’d package. The two middle school artists gave “fun-sized” a different meaning with these giant snacks. 

Skamarock took home third place for her Skittles sculpture while Anderson achieved an honorable mention for the CheezIt Snap’d dupe. The girls both agreed that their teacher, Anna Howard, made their art class a successful environment. 

“I wasn’t really interested in art last year, but this year I am, because we do projects,” said Anderson. 

Alice Carter, another John Chavis seventh grader, who took home an award in Through an Artist’s Eyes, said Ms. Howard helped her students with their work.

“I really liked how hands-on she was, with teaching us and like helping us instead of sitting back and letting us watch a video,” said Carter. 

Carter won second place for her colored drawing of a lion’s eye. 

“I didn’t see very many people doing the lion eye, so I’m like, I’m going to be different,” said Carter. 

Ms. Howard considers many factors when selecting art to submit to the competition. For instance, she believes art is a medium for uplifting a student’s confidence. She wanted to help some of her students get a win.

“Some of these students may have tried the hardest that they possibly could for the first time … I took that into account when selecting and wanted to celebrate that accomplishment and hoped that it would grow into more eventually,” said Ms. Howard.

Many students achieved more than just a ribbon, but a boost of confidence. Each of the seventh graders I spoke with expressed that they were surprised to get the news of their wins.

“I felt good because I won a gift card, but I didn’t think I was going to win, to be honest, so I was genuinely surprised,” said Anderson.

She submitted work from students in grades 6-8. Ms. Howard does her best to adapt her lessons to be interactive. She finds middle school students enjoy learning about art more when the art has a practical purpose afterward.

“They tend to like things that have a purpose and it motivates them more. And then they tend to keep it a lot longer,” said Ms. Howard. 

Her sixth-grade students are currently making four-holed ocarina whistles out of clay. Several of her students had handmade ceramic tic-tac-toe boards on display in Through an Artist’s Eyes. 

The interactive nature of Cherryville school’s arts programs threads into high school. Lacey Dellinger, Cherryville High School’s art teacher, illustrated a recent initiative with the Webb Street School. 

The Webb School serves people with intellectual disabilities, ages 5-22. This program consists of a fashion design project that will end with a catwalk. Students will don the outfits they created together and strut down a runway. The event will be open for public viewing on May 18. 

“The [Webb School] students are going to pick from two designs that they have come up with. And then we’re going to actually make the clothing,” said Ms. Dellinger.

Ms. Dellinger also had students win prizes in the art competition. A student of hers won first place in fibers for a whale shark bag.

“Seeing that student, really- I mean, she worked really hard. Her name’s Riley and she made her pattern and everything from scratch,” said Ms. Dellinger, “And then we kind of worked together with that, and she just had a lot of tenacity to finish it.”

Both the teachers are proud of their students and know the Cherryville community will be as well. They encourage everyone to see the talented artists of Cherryville.

“I love this small community and I love the fact that community members are willing to support our students here,” said Ms. Howard.

The students’ art will be on display at the Loray Mills apartment complexes until May 4. The display is open Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m-5 p.m., and Saturday, 11 a.m-4 p.m.

One way community members can support the Cherryville school’s art programs is to get involved. If you are an artist and you have a skill that would enrich the creativity of a young artist, contact a Cherryville art teacher.

“We love to have visitors come in and share their own artistic endeavors,” said Ms. Dellinger.

The dedicated art teachers of Cherryville are in the business of producing more than a gallery of talent. They want to sculpt confident young artists unafraid of showcasing their work. What is there to be afraid of if you have self-confidence?

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