K-12 Art Show Held in Spencer Gallery

Photo by Linna Jones

Looking - Asiauna Powel, 9-years-old from Dermott Elementary, looks at the artwork exhibited at the K-12 Art Exhibit. The K-12 Art Exhibit displays student artwork from several counties in southeast Arkansas.

Arts & Entertainment Editor

   The Southeast Regional Art Show displayed the artwork of students from kindergarten to 12 grade in the Fine Arts Center’s Spencer Gallery Feb. 2.
 
    The exhibit held artwork created by students ages 5 to 18. Eighteen art teachers from 23 schools submitted 122 pieces of student artwork in the Southeast Regional Counties of Jefferson, Cleveland, Lincoln, Desha, Calhoun, Drew, Bradley, Union, Ashley and Chicot.

   The teachers selected the artwork on the talent and merit of the artist. Judges decided which pieces of art received first, second or third place. First place winners will have their work sent to the Arkansas Art Educators show, sponsored by AETN, to be displayed. The show will take place March 8.

   First place winners include:

• Kindergarten - James Nichols Jr from Huttig Elementary in Huttig
• 1st-grade - Noah Minchew from McGehee Elementary in McGehee
• 2nd-grade - Elizabeth Garcia From Monticello Elementary
• 3rd-grade - Cole Harrison from Woodlawn Elementary in Rison
• 4th-grade - Cassidy Light from Woodlawn Elementary in Rison
• 5th-grade - Amber Holmes from Woodlawn Elementary in Rison
• 6th-grade - Josh Conner from Woodlawn Elementary in Rison
• 7th-grade - Karen Diaz from Barton Junior High in El Dorado
• 8th-grade - Lacy Franks from Barton Junior High in El Dorado
• 9th-grade - Stacey Greenway from Monticello High in Monticello
• 10th-grade - Shelby Sturgis from Drew Central High in Monticello
• 11th-grade - Lauren Brewer from Monticello High in Monticello
• 12th-grade - Harris Figures from Drew Central High in Monticello

   Parents of the winners photographed their children during the ceremony, and some teachers accepted awards for the students who could not make it to the ceremony.

   Cindy Sass, the Southeast Regional Art Director and 9-12 art teacher at Drew Central High School, and Sherry Knight, a teacher at Monticello Middle School, presented the awards to the winners.

  “I think there were a lot of well thought out ideas,” Sass said. “They were creative.”

   The exhibit showed many different styles used in the artwork, such as watercolors, pastels, oils, ink, pencil, acrylic paint, charcoal, prints and collages.

   Cassie Gilbert, a third-grader at McGehee Elementary School, created a picture of a giraffe dancing in front of a sun. She likes to draw flowers and African pictures. Debbie Gilbert, Cassie’s mother, said her daughter started drawing in kindergarten.
 
 “I like drawing and painting and coloring and I sometimes use my imagination,” Gilbert said.

   Jadacee Glover, a 5-year-old from McGehee, received an Honor Achievement Award for her painting of a “momma cat” and a “baby cat.” She said she felt happy to see her picture in Spencer Gallery.

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