Fauquier County Public Schools News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 9, 2016
Karen Parkinson, Coordinator of Information Phone (540) 422-7031
[email protected]
ART IN THE COMMUNITY
CELEBRATING YOUTH ART MONTH March is Youth Art Month (YAM), and Fauquier County Public Schools art teachers are spearheading a month full of activities celebrating art. YAM is an annual observance recognized throughout the 50 states to emphasize the value of art education for all children and to encourage support for quality school art programs. To kickoff observance of YAM in the community, the Fauquier County School Board endorsed March as Youth Art Month at its March 7 meeting at Liberty High School; art teachers distributed YAM pins made by FCPS students. The business community in Warrenton has partnered with the art teachers to help celebrate YAM and to help promote art education in FCPS by accepting student artwork for display in their stores and store windows. This year a record number of 40 local businesses are participating in the Community Art Walk. Each business will display student artwork from around the county for a total of 103 pieces of original artwork. A tag by the door of the business will identify it as a participant.
As a kickoff to the community art walk, Sunny Reynolds, Town Council member and Studio 19 owner, will host an art opening in her studio space. The art opening will be held Saturday, March 12, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 81 Main Street, second floor (enter the purple door on 4th Street). The public is invited to attend this event in support of FCPS students and the arts.
All County Arts Festival The culminating event of Youth Art Month is the All County Arts Festival, which will be held Friday, April 1 from 6-8 p.m. and Saturday, April 2 from noon-3 p.m. at Kettle Run High School. Visual and performing arts will showcase the talents of FCPS students in grades K-12. This year’s theme is “Find Yourself in Art.” Admission is free, and the public is invited to come and see hundreds of pieces of student art as well as vocal ensembles, jazz bands, dramatic productions and a unique interactive exhibit.
Bradley’s Walls of Art As an example of the celebration of student art that goes on every day in Fauquier County Public Schools, pictured on the next page is an art show of student works in the hallways of Bradley Elementary School. Art teacher Amy Cutsail coordinated a theme-by-grade-level art project that got all Bradley students involved. Pre-kindergartners and kindergartners focused
on a farm feature, complete with sheep, corn, cows, roosters and pigs. First-graders created an artfully delicious “Candy Land” of wrapped candy, gingerbread men and cotton candy, and second graders traveled “Under the Sea” to show coral, fish, mermaids, sea turtles and jelly fish. Third graders took an art adventure into “The Jungle” with monkeys, butterflies birds and snakes, and fourth graders portrayed “The Four Seasons” while fifth graders took their art soaring into “Outer Space,” complete with astronaut self-portraits, planets, stars, space ships and aliens. Ms. Cutsail said she wanted Bradley’s students to be excited about the school-wide project. “I also wanted them to work together and to be proud of the art they made,” she said. “I try to teach my students that art isn’t just about drawing; it’s about creativity, expression and beauty. I love to see the students walk down the halls and point out to their teachers or friends that ‘I made that!’ I try to teach them to be proud of their art, no matter what they make, because they made it.”
Y O U T H A R T
M O N T H
