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Works of 593 children on display at Memorial Auditorium

Special Olympics

Nearly 600 children are featured in an art display now on view in the Pittsburg Memorial Auditorium lobby gallery.

"We've got 593 pieces of art in the show, from students in kindergarten through fifth grade at Lakeside, George Nettels, Westside and Meadowlark Elementary Schools," said Nancy Hurt, USD 250 art instructor.

"We've got several kinds of art in the show," added Mary Robinson, also a USD 250 art instructor.

"We've got 364 woven people, which were made by students in fourth and fifth grades," Hurt said.

There was also a section of colorful paper cats. "That's mine right up at the top," said Nicole Taiclet, a Meadowlark second grader, as she pointed to a cat with a pink face and purple, red and green stripes.

She said that she felt "really good" about seeing her work in the show.

Also included were clay "critters," papier mache masks, print making and collages, along with some works in the styles of various noted artists.

"These are in the style of Matisse, and those in the style of Miro," Robinson said. "We also have some 'cityscapes' which are based on the work of Faith Ringgold, an African-American woman artist who does story quilts."

Hurt said that the annual show is always special, but a little bit more so this year because it marks the 10th anniversary of art as part of the USD 250 elementary curriculum.

"When the program started, there were five elementary schools in Pittsburg, including Lincoln and Eugene Field, which have since closed," she said. "Only Lakeside had an art room. We would have to set up our tables, take them down for lunch, set them back up and then take them down again at the end of the day. At Eugene Field, we would be teaching class in one end of the lunch room, while students were 'quietly' eating at the other end."

At George Nettels, art class was held in the basement until the fire marshal decided this was unsafe. Then the class was moved to the school gym.

"None of these art rooms had a sink or running water, and storage was also a problem," Hurt said.

However, things improved greatly after local voters approved a bond issue for the schools. New art/music rooms were added to Westside and Nettels, and the Lakeside elementary art room was remodeled. The new elementary school, Meadowlark, was built with an art room.

"And all the art rooms have sinks and running water," Hurt said.

The elementary art exhibit will be open free to the public during normal building hours through March 29.

The Morning Sun, (www.morningsun.net) March 7, 2006