From the minds of babes comes the latest exhibition at the Quesnel Art Gallery.
Every two years, alternating on a biennial basis with the artwork of secondary school students, there is a show devoted to the kids among us. This is that year. The elemental art of elementary students is on display now until April 6.
“The show opened with a student choir composed of students from three elementary schools; approximately 125 people attended the opening,” said Marguerite Hall, director of the Quesnel Art Gallery and Gift Shop.
Other than Nazko and Wells-Barkerville, all School District 28 elementary schools were represented in this event, and all grades from Kindergarten to Grade 7 have artists involved.
“These art pieces represent the quality of SD28’s elementary art education program,” said Hall. “None were created specifically for the show; all were a result of regular weekly art instruction. Instruction in the arts is a valuable piece of the education puzzle. Students who may find it a challenge to express their knowledge or ideas in words may find it easier to represent this in a drawing or in music or drama.”
This exhibition features painting, drawing and textile work.
Hall said she was a strong advocate for arts instruction and creative expression being taught in schools. She appreciates the efforts of schools like Seneca Academy, an American example of a school that puts an emphasis on unlocking the artist’s mind so as to unlock the other sectors of a child’s development.
“Working in the arts helps learners to develop creative problem-solving skills,” said Hall, attributing these motivating ideas to Seneca. “Teaching through the arts can present difficult concepts visually, making them more easy to understand.
Art instruction helps children with the development of motor skills, language skills, social skills, decision-making, risk-taking, and inventiveness.”
On a basic level, teaching the arts instructs learners about colour, layout, perspective, and balance - all of these being transferable points of knowledge into other realms of academics and activities, but on a more subtle level, said Hall, it draws in learners who might otherwise be missed, or at least not gain their full intellectual potential.
“Integrating art with other disciplines reaches students who might not otherwise be engaged in classwork,” she said. “Arts experiences boost critical thinking, teaching students to take the time to be more careful and thorough in how they observe the world. The arts provide challenges for learners at all levels. Art education connects students with their own culture as well as with the wider world.”
The gallery is located at 500 North Star Road, open Tues-Sat from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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