View the virtual art show here.
ROCKLAND — Principal Beth Bohn is pleased to share that Rogers Middle School students were able to showcase their artwork, even in the midst of the statewide school closure and COVID-19 pandemic.
The district usually holds an Art Festival each spring. The festival is a two-night event during which the high school gymnasium is split into sections that feature artwork from nearly every art student in grades K-12. Work from the preschool, family and consumer sciences and woodworking are also featured, along with music performances, poetry readings and more.
Since the Arts Festival was canceled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Rogers art teacher Colleen Haley put together a virtual art show to share with the community.
Work from students in fifth grade through eighth grade is featured in the virtual show. Each grade has its own gallery of work, which includes a range of art projects made with different mediums, including drawings, ceramics and more.
This year, the art department received a grant to create and teach units based on Japanese art. During term 3, each grade explored various forms of Japanese art including anime drawing, origami and ceramics. These works were going to be displayed at the Arts Festival along with the units taught at the elementary and high school levels. Several of the pieces in the virtual art show are from the Japanese art unit.
At the end of each term, middle school students choose at least one piece of artwork that they are most proud of and want to display in the art festival. The pieces featured in the virtual show include the pieces students had chosen for display from terms 1 and 2. For term 3 students, Haley was able to go into the classroom to photograph pieces from the students’ portfolios.
“The Art Festival is such an important event to showcase our student artists each year, and because the students choose the work to be displayed, the festival always features a diverse collection of works,” Haley said. “Even though we couldn’t hold the event this year, I felt it was still important to showcase all of the hard work and talent of our Rogers students.”
Those who view the virtual art show are also able to sign a virtual “guest book” and leave a message for the student artists.
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