Jackson schools' art show celebrates students' creativity

Jackson High School art teacher Andrea Talley sees two types of students in her fine arts classes.

There are those who already have a love of the arts and are brimming with confidence in their abilities, and there are those who insist they "can't draw a straight line," worry about "flunking" art class and need a bit of a push, Talley said.

"In art you have to approach each student differently. There's almost some psychology to teaching art," Talley said.

At "Art Expressions 2009," the Jackson school district's annual student art show, work from all kinds of student artists filled display racks at Jackson Junior High School's gym.

Deborah Fischer said she was surprised and impressed with the quality of the artwork on display, particularly the wide range of media used, from drawing to ceramics to fiber weavings.

"We have a lot of really great artists," Fischer said.

Fischer, of Scott City, Mo., attended the art show with her daughter, Nina Lamoureux, to see the work of Lamoureux's children.

"It was neat; I thought it was really great for students," Lamoureux of Jackson said.

The art show has been an annual tradition for more than 20 years, said Susan Lane, who teaches art to kindergarten through third-grade students at Orchard Drive Elementary.

Lane said she can remember her own children participating in the show.

Art teachers strive to draw student work from every possible media -- from oil and pastel to ink drawing, sculpture, and pottery-- though each instructor selects the work they want for the show a bit differently, Lane said.

Lane typically lets the students chose what pieces they want to display but offers a little guidance, she said.

"They get very excited about having people see their artwork. You can just tell by the looks on their faces," Lane said.

Generally, high school students have more work on display at the show, but some of them had to take their art home with them while the school was shifting its art department three weeks ago, Talley said.

None of the offerings at the show are judged, as per an agreement from all of the art teachers, Lane said.

"I don't want to give out prizes because I don't want it to be a competition at that level," she said.

Talley said she has students who have won awards, sometimes even cash prizes, at art competitions in the region, so she likes to put the focus for this show on celebrating the artistic talent of every student.

"Every kid is creative-a lot of people, as we get older, we stifle that creativity," she said.

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