Unseen exhibit

The Regional Student Art Exhibit is a staple.

Each year, art teachers from schools in Jay County and beyond are invited to select student works to be displayed in the Hugh N. Ronald Gallery at Arts Place.

“We’re here to help support our community, and there’s nothing better than trying to bring in the youth and showcasing their abilities and their creativity, along with our teachers too,” said Arts Place visual arts director Kim Anderson.

“It gives them the opportunity to show their creativity and show their artwork in a more professional sense, which isn’t always something children get to experience. It gives them that sense of pride and accomplishment,” agreed Emilie Fisher, visual arts teacher for Southern Wells Community Schools. “I think it’s really important for children to do that for those reasons.”

Students were to have that opportunity again this year, just like in the past.

Art teachers selected works. They were set up in the gallery. The exhibit was scheduled to open March 20.

On March 19, Arts Place announced it would close, effective March 20, in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

So paintings and drawings are hung. Photos are framed. And sculptures are displayed. But no one has been able to see them in person.

“I have some really talented students, and I’m just so sad that their work is up their and people might not be able to get out to see it,” said Kathy Ayers, an art teacher at Jay County High School.

“They were really proud of their work. And I was really proud of their work.”

She noted that with schools closed her students will also miss out on Jay County High School’s annual art show.

This year’s Arts Place student exhibit, which features work from students in kindergarten through 12th grade, is themed “Art, Bringing Communities Full Circle.” The idea, Anderson said, was to promote the importance of art in schools and beyond.

“I really wanted to try to hit it home, the importance of the arts, how it brings a community together as a whole,” she said. “It makes us better at who we are and what we do. Without it, I think we lose something.”



Ayers teaches a couple of introduction to art classes at JCHS with her more advanced classes focusing on painting and ceramics.

One of the projects she worked on with students this year involved cubism, a style that breaks traditional rules and reduces subjects to their geometrical equivalents. Think Pablo Picasso.

JCHS senior Dottie Schuler has one such piece — “Pupper,” pictured on page 1 — on display in the exhibit. She even broke the rules (with permission) of the project by using two opposing colors.

“It was supposed to be painted in monochromatic colors, shades of one color,” said Ayers. “And Dottie’s really creative, and she came to me and asked, ‘Do I have to stick with just one color? I’ve got this idea and I want to throw another color in there and really make it pop.’ So, I said, ‘Go for it.’ … She did a super job.

“She’s a very creative girl.”

A project that is always involved in Fisher’s fifth grade classes is watercolor work. One of the pieces she chose to be displayed in the exhibit at Arts Place is Dirk Frauhiger’s portrait of a killer whale, pictured on page 1.

“The students really like watercolor,” said Fisher. “They kind of like how it blends together sometimes. Some students find it to be very freeing. … I think it’s important to teach that because it’s an artistic tool that can ben used in many different ways.”

While the gallery at Arts Place is closed to the public through at least early May, there are other opportunities to view the students’ work.

In addition to the photos of pieces included in print today, there’s also a video — bit.ly/APstudentexhibit — walking through the entire gallery and featuring 36 individually works. All of the pieces from the exhibit can be viewed online at artsland.org/regional-student-art-exhibit and the Arts Place page on Facebook.

Ayers noted the importance of art students have the opportunity to share their efforts with the public.

“For kids who are artistically talented, this is the place where they shine,” she said.