Art and craft

This year marks the 37th annual Student Art Show, a temporary exhibit in the Helen Day Art Center showcasing work created by students from kindergarten through high school.

Exhibitors hail from Stowe Elementary, Middle and High and surrounding schools including Harwood Union, Crossett Brook Middle School, and Mountain River School. The works range from miniature treehouses made by middle-school tech ed students to clay pots and sculptures, and impressive metal workings molded by the high-school fine metals class.

The showcase serves as a sort of portfolio for the students, displaying their accomplishments of the year. The gallery encompasses three rooms, each room covered from top to bottom in art, with platforms and additional, spare walls placed in the middle for even more exhibits.

While aesthetically pleasing, viewing pleasure is not the only purpose of the show. The gallery helps encourage the students, hopefully inspiring them to further pursue art in and out of school.

“I think it’s really good for them to see their work in a gallery, said Carleen Zimbalatti, fine metals and graphic design teacher at Stowe High School. “It really gives them self esteem, confidence … to see what they’ve done in a professional space makes them really proud.”

This sentiment was echoed by Kate Crouse, who teaches studio art, photography, and ceramics at Stowe High School.

“It’s so awesome to see the responses from all ages of the community… that’s got to feel good, as a youngster,” Crouse said.

The main room features the elementary school work, much of it done in art teacher Jenna Kelly’s class. Kids as young as 5 can see their art displayed, encouraging them to persevere until they reach the coveted high-school exhibitions.

The gallery doesn’t just encourage the students artistically, however. Kelly believes that the confidence inspired by the show goes past school. “They see their work and they feel so much pride. Seeing it in a space outside their school helps elevate it in a way … I think it’s really special for my students to be able to walk into a professional gallery and see their art on the wall,” Kelly said.

“It’s just another way for them to feel really good about themselves where in our world right now they’re facing anxiety younger and younger.”

Students also appreciate the efforts of their teachers and the community support that makes the annual show possible. They also enjoy getting the opportunity to see their art on display in such a professional setting.

“It really helps you get yourself out there … it’s also good to get a chance to see other people’s art,” Lillie Bertrand said as she hung up her year’s work, taking up a prominent spot in Stowe High’s display room as an AP art student.

Like Lillie, Madison Colletti is excited to display her work, and enjoys the idea of interacting with strangers through her art.

“It’s awesome because people who don’t know me could still come and be inspired, or be like, ‘I like her perspective,’” Madison said.

Madison won’t be the only Colletti on display, however — “(my sister) Lexi’s a better artist than me, so I’m honored to be in the same building as her,” she said.

Other siblings are excited to share the space with brothers or sisters.

The Helen Day Art Show is a beautiful exhibition for parents to coo over their children’s artwork, for teachers to encourage their students, and for kids to see an accumulation of their efforts throughout the year to be proud of. The show brings a sense of accomplishment to the up-and-coming artists, and brings the community together. At the very least, any and all who attend the show will doubtless enjoy the beautiful art covering every available inch of space.

Kenzie Bruce, one of the many artists on display, summarizes the experience; “It’s frickin’ awesome.”

Sage Lively, a Stowe High School sophomore, is an intern at the Stowe Reporter.