February 15, 2021 at 10:52 a.m.
Student artwork on display at ArtStart through Feb. 27
Student artwork on display at ArtStart through Feb. 27
By Stephanie Kuski-
The student artists will also be invited to talk about their artwork during a virtual artist reception at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 18. The virtual event is free and open to the public with a maximum capacity of 100 viewers.
At the same time student artwork is displayed at ArtStart, submissions from the GFWC Rhinelander Woman's Club student writing contest will also be featured at the galleries and available to view on the virtual tour.
The annual exhibit illustrates a strong partnership between ArtStart, the school district and the local arts community. Students from kindergarten through the 12th grade are represented from all schools in the district, including students from Nativity of Our Lord Catholic School for the first time this year.
All participating art teachers chose the best student work from the first semester, with approximately 20 to 30 submissions from each teacher.
"The whole show is really about showcasing the great work all of our K-12 students do," said Rhinelander High School art teacher Josh Calhoun, who coordinates the annual exhibit. "We have a variety of media represented."
Indeed, the diversity of artwork displayed in the galleries is certainly impressive: from collage, solar dye, tempera and acrylic to chalk, watercolor, oil, colored pencil, prints and so much more. Students portrayed abstract art, portraits, mixed media and nature scenes as well as beautifully executed paper mache, pottery, ceramics and even paper sculptures.
"There's some really great submissions this year," noted ArtStart's program and operations director Ashley McLaughlin.
Even though the art teachers said they had fewer submissions to choose from this year, due to difficulties associated with the ongoing pandemic, the work on display features a high-caliber of artistry and is a testament to the quality of our area's arts education.
"We definitely have not had the same amount of time with students due to COVID," Calhoun noted. "At the high school, we only have two days each week for each group, so I knew we would have less artwork. However, we still have some very high-quality pieces we made in the first semester."
ArtStart's gallery walls are jam-packed with a remarkable variety of artwork. But this exhibition is unique in that work from upperclassmen is situated next to drawings from young aspiring artists, collectively illustrating an artist's transformation through the years in a way that draws the eye to the nuances and intricacies of each phase in artistic development.
"You can see the artists growing year by year," McLaughlin echoed. "It really showcases the art programs here and really shows the community how valuable it is."
The quality of work on display certainly speaks volumes about the quality of arts education in our area. This way, the annual student exhibition gives student artists an exciting incentive to continue participating in the arts, which will only continue to strengthen our local arts community.
Calhoun noted that the opportunity for younger students to see the work of upperclassmen builds a sense of anticipation for what lies ahead in their own arts education. The hope is to keep aspiring artists excited about their artwork in the hopes they will continue creating for many years to come.
Juniors Lila Bielfeldt and Liana Teter are just two of Calhoun's stand-out students. Bielfeldt designed a detailed oil portrait in addition to a dainty watercolor painting while Teter fashioned a number of delicate ceramic pieces.
One notable student for middle school art teacher Brian Carpenter is Katherine Marshall, an eighth grader at James Williams Middle School who created three adorably fun, otherworldly ceramic creatures. Carpenter noted Marshall is "a pleasure to have in class" and has submitted excellent work in his classes for the past three years.
Senior Valeriya Kravchenko created a number of stunning acrylic and watercolor paintings, showcasing her artistic mastery using a variety of different media.
Nativity students Ellyse Younker and Oceana Patulski, who both participated in the GFWC Rhinelander Woman's Club creative writing contest, created two different watercolor scenes that depict the Northwoods' stunning beauty.
For all students, having their artwork displayed not only showcases their talents but allows them to be featured in a professional gallery, a unique opportunity ArtStart provides to emerging artists in our area.
"It gives the creatives in our schools an outlet," McLaughlin noted. "We have athletics, which are great, but not all children are into athletics. So this is a way to really give them an outlet to create... and give them a professional gallery to walk their parents through."
Although the teachers noted they will miss the opportunity to mingle with their students' families in-person during the artist reception, the virtual option still affords an opportunity to praise the students' work while providing them with a platform to talk about their art.
"It's really fun to learn from the artists about their inspiration about the pieces and just learn more about their techniques," McLaughlin said. "I always love the artist talks because it always brings so much more depth."
Those interested in participating in the virtual artist reception are welcome to join at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 18 via the Zoom link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83351940426 (meeting ID: 833 5194 0426). That link is also available on SDR's media platforms and a recording of the reception will also be available afterwards.
To view the virtual gallery tour of the student art exhibition, visit https://artstartrhinelander.org. To view the exhibit in person, call ArtStart at (715) 362-4328 to schedule an appointment through Feb. 27.
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