Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Parental volunteers Amanda Benner, left, and Deb Tijon, right, with Northwoods Christian Academy students, from left, Anne Curty, 14, Isaac Niemi, 13, and Emily Leiphart, 12, in front of their art work on display at the DAP on Thursday.
By CHARITY SMITH
Ironwood - In commemoration of Youth Art Month, the Downtown Art Place opened an exhibit Thursday featuring the artwork of students from Bessemer, Ironwood, Northwoods Christian Academy and Wakefield-Marenisco schools along with that of DAP students.
"We are just happy to do it in the month of March, because it is National Youth art Month," said Peg Sandin, an artist who volunteers on the exhibition committee.
The students began to work on their themed projects for this exhibition early in the school year with the final products submitted last week.
"It was a long process," said 14-year-old Anne Curty of Northwoods Christian Academy.
Each school selected a theme or technique for the show. Students at Ironwood were told to take a picture and then draw something to enhance it, while the theme of Northwoods Christian Academy this year was "Let Your Light Shine" (Matthew 5:16).
"We wanted to do a 'Let Your Light Shine', theme so we worked on different methods of light and shadow box," said Northwoods Christian Academy parent-volunteer Deb Tijon.
"The best part of the project is seeing the final project as it represents our faith with the lights shining through our hearts," said Emily Leiphart, 12, of Northwoods Christian Academy. "The lights represent Jesus shining through the hearts of Christians everywhere."
Arlene Schneller, who teaches copper jewelery making at the DAP, brought her grandchildren to see the exhibit for "inspiration."
"I'm so impressed with the variety and the talent," Schneller said. "It's nice to see kids get involved with art shows. Either with viewing or exhibiting."
Jacinta Lauzon, 12, of Ironwood, proudly showed off her artwork that she made at the DAP. She has been taking classes at the DAP for the last three years and aspires to work for the Walt Disney Company one day as an artist.
"Classes are pretty fun here. We get to do a lot of different types of Art," Lauzon said of the DAP classes. "My favorite is pottery though, because you can do so many different things with it."
Youth art classes at the DAP are offered every Monday through April for $10 a class and everyday during the summer. The Youth art exhibit will run through March 29.
