ART EDUCATION NURTURES VITAL SKILLS

from Youth Art Month 2023

Youth Art Month is an annual observance each March to emphasize the value of art and art education for all children and to encourage public support for quality school art programs. Art is for all youth, not just the especially gifted. Art activities stimulate creativity, imagination, perception and selectivity so necessary for our future decision makers, business people, engineers, scientists and teachers.

Art education develops self-esteem, appreciation of the work of others, selfexpression, cooperation with others and critical thinking skills – all skills vital to the success of our children as they continue their education and enter the working world.

Park Rapids

Yet, art education is often considered a “fringe” program. In reality, it provides students skills they will need as adults.

Our fast-changing environment requires future leaders – today’s children –to be creative and imaginative in problem-solving. These skills are learned by students involved in art.

Left: Allison Kreger, a Park Rapids sophomore, was pleased with this completed piece. “I found a white colored pencil that worked out for highlights,” she said. “This one was oil. It was for my traditional portrait assignment.” Right: Park Rapids sophomore Aimee Dayo Richards’ sketchbook is filled with her artwork. On this piece, “I was trying to work with homemade watercolors,” she explains. “I also learned about this place in Japan. It’s an island called Cat Island. I took some reference photos from that and made this one.” She wants to be a tattoo artist.

Contributed / Kari Townsdin

Left: Laporte School students use their imagination to collaborate and construct elaborate pieces in art class.

Above: These Laporte sculptors are giddy about their works of art.

Left: This Laporte class dabbles in straw art. Right: These Laporte painters reimagine flowers and trees.

Eva Warrington’s acrylic and watercolor artwork is entitled “Rey.”

Nevis art teacher

Chris Boedigheimer explains, “In this group assignment, students collaborated to construct large papier-mâché heads of recognizable people or characters.” Pictured, front row, from left, are Rebekah Kosmacek, Aiden Ellenberg, Anna Crimmins, Allee Forbes.

Back row: Leighara Munson, Chris Goochy, Isek Cortez, Sarah Boettcher, Kara Carlson and Alexis it here.

Rodney Rogers’ “The Longhorn” is an example of relief cut printmaking. “In this assignment, they were trying to carve a block print to be used in a repeatable print design,” said Boedigheimer.