MISSOULA – We headed over to the Southgate Mall for this weeks Arts and Education report where student projects are being taken outside of the classroom and put on display for all to see.
The 2018 High School Art Show, featuring 10 high schools from across Western Montana, can be seen by folks strolling through the mall, shopping or grabbing a bite to eat.
"I mean there are paintings, there’s drawings, there’s sculptures, there’s ceramics, there’s more conceptual work depending on what people can exhibit," said Sentinel High School art teacher Tim Nielson.
The art pieces on display have been chosen individually by students and teachers and each teacher is different. Some have their students pick one of their art pieces they have working on through out the year, while others create pieces specifically for this event.
"This piece here, is a very technical project that we were working on earlier in the year, which is just to build skills. While this one is a more expressive project that was done later in the year," Hellgate High School art teacher Marvin Pauls said. "Then I had them choose which pieces they wanted to put in the mall show."
"We have these beautiful, tall ceilings, and such a large space to work in. So, going big with our project was the inspiration behind this large scale portion of the project," Hellgate High School art teacher Ariea Berry said.
Teachers say the students were really excited to create something, not just for a grade, but for the opportunity to put there work on display for others to see and experience as well.
"They have the opportunity to create an experience for somebody. You know that is what art does, the second someone pays attention to your work, you’ve changed their life, in a tiny way, but you have made an impact on that person that they wouldn’t have gotten from any other place," Nielson said.
The artwork will be on display at the Southgate Mall through May 20.
