Page 17 - North State Parent March 2022

NORTH STATE PARENT FAMILY RESOURCE GUIDE SPRING/SUMMER 20212 ARTS
A Love Letter to Student Artists
By Cameron Kelly
Gallery Director, Chico Art Center
An invitation to submit student art
For the 18th year, Chico Art Center is inviting second- ary school art teachers to select their most expressive and skillful student work for a gallery exhibition. This display of the formative, eight-year span of our youth’s creative development reminds us of the transformational growth that art practitioners are facilitating.
Visual learners need the arts
Visual learners need the arts for comprehension, ide- ation and cultural exchange. As students gain experience in interpreting works of art, film, videos, political car- toons, photographs, and advertisements, they learn that they can use their imagination to see and think between and beyond the lines to draw inferences and conclusions. Visual literacy encourages analysis, and evaluative think- ing skills. It is critical for students to be able to evaluate content presented in diverse formats, a skill that requires hands-on modeling.
Illuminating the art student/art teacher relationship
When taking in student imagery and artist state- ments, we experience reflections on beautiful yet compli- cated relationships with family, friends, pop-culture and the natural world. In 2019, two participating art teachers,
Ms. Kerr from Chico Jr. High School, and Mr. Ledwith from Fairview High School, and I wrote the following juror statement to students. It illuminates the student-teacher relationship this exhibit is all about:
Art has the power to touch the heart and provoke the mind
“Dear Artists, It’s incredibly hard to be original. You have found a way to put your truth into your artwork, which people will relate to. The strongest pieces always seem to hit us in a personal way, appeal to our senses or expose an emotion we weren’t aware of. Your artwork has been selected because of this; for its beauty, but also for the process and its power to inspire. Art is not just expe- rienced with the eyes, it has the power to touch the heart and provoke the mind.
“As Elizabeth Brown once said, ‘Art is not always about pretty things.’ You have created something that is now outside of yourself, something separate and for the world to take in. Any criticism of your artwork is more about them (the viewer) than you. You have given your audience an idea or design as a gift to consider.
Creativity is the most powerful force we can channel
“This artwork is just one tiny part of what you have
to offer, and yet, it is something unique, something raw and something real that cannot be reproduced. Creativi- ty is the most powerful and unquantifiable force we can channel. Some of you may continue with artistic endeav- ors, some may move on and become consumed by some- thing else entirely, however, this creativity will always be a part of you, ready to be picked up at some later time in life.
“This has been an incredibly trying year for every- one in Butte County. Pain and loss are ever present as we grow, but art can always be a way to deal with life’s chal- lenges. Take a second and realize how powerful a gift you have to be able to channel the emotions swirling around you, particularly at this age, and transform them into a vi- sual form for your audience to connect with. At this time in your life, you are pulled in many directions and going through a multitude of changes. And yet, you were able to work through your everyday anxiety and struggle to create some of the most powerful work of the year.
“This gift you all have is something we hope you will continue to nurture as you move on from this exhibition. We are incredibly proud of you and the work you have created in our classrooms. The world belongs to you. Take good care of it.”
PleasesayyousawitinNorthStateParentmagazine.Thishelpsusgrow! www.northstateparent.com • NorthStateParentFamilyResourceGuideSpring/Summer2022 17