The Main Office Art Gallery was filled with 57 middle schoolers’ artwork on Dec. 1 where it will hang until next Friday, and the room bustled with excitement as students showed off their pieces. Middle school art teachers chose artwork from the top two to three students in each grade and sent photos to South’s art teachers to select the pieces that are showcased at the Glenbrook Art Consortium, Dawn Nettelhorst, Maple Middle School Art Teacher, said.
Getting a sneak peek into her future school, Gabi Iacobazzi, Field Middle School seventh grader, displayed her woven work and felt elated to have this opportunity to not only display her art, but have it win first place out of the many artworks present, she said.
The Glenbrook Art Consortium Showcase was created last year by Stephanie Fuja, Art Teacher and Sponsor of the National Art Honors Society, and accepts artwork from students of all middle schools that feed into South, including Attea, Springman, Maple, and Field, Fuja said.
Five students were awarded places, including first, second, and third place, along with two honorable mentions, Fuja explained. Fuja hopes the showcase encourages more middle school students to take art classes at South.
“I hope the showcase inspires students, makes them feel good about their art and creativity, and makes them feel like they can do something more,” Fuja said.
Middle school art teachers communicated with Fuja and dropped off their middle schoolers’ artwork where Fuja looked through the art and placed them, before hanging the artwork in the front art gallery.
Ava Sinjoanu, Maple Middle School sixth grader, loved seeing her watercolor painting displayed among her peers’ work, she said. Seeing other peoples’ art influenced her to try different techniques and mediums in her next piece, Sinjoanu added. Sinjoanu feels proud and empowered to paint more because she was selected for the showcase.
“My mom gets mad at me for painting everywhere, but now this is a point where I can prove to her that it actually matters,” Sinjoanu said.
Freshman Nia Custodio’s artwork was selected last year when she was in eighth grade and she felt overjoyed to have her artwork displayed at South, she said. Custodio grew up painting with her grandmother and was happy that her artwork was recognized. Not only was it an honor, but she got to see South before she began the transition from middle school to high school, Custodio shared.
“Getting selected made me think I was better than what I thought I was because other people’s opinion said that it was actually good,” Custodio said.
This showcase also provides students with further inspiration of how they can grow and succeed in their artistic endeavors, freshman Rozlyn Purtill said. After participating in the showcase when she was in eighth grade at Maple Middle School, Purtill noted how the showcase helped her realize the many programs South offers and get her excited for her time in high school. The Glenbrook Art Consortium Showcase provided Purtill with a chance to see other artwork in comparison to hers, which was a nice refresh from professional artists being the only source of comparison, Purtill said.
“I always downplayed my art because I always compared it to artwork online, and it was huge seeing other students my age also have their artwork, the same level as mine, displayed.” Purtill said. “It definitely influenced me to think I’m not actually a bad artist and to keep going, boosting my confidence.”
