As a child, Yelm resident and artist Ashley Larsen always enjoyed seeing her artwork recognized. It meant much more to her when the recognition came from outside her school, especially in local art galleries.
Last year, Larsen, an artist at InGenius! Local Artisan Gallery & Boutique in Yelm, decided to duplicate that feeling for Prairie Elementary School students by teaming up with the Yelm business for a month-long art show. This month, the art show returns for its second year and will include a ceremony at 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 16, at the Yelm store, 207 First St. S.
The first year was a success, InGenius! owner Andrea Levanti said, as the store displayed artwork from 18 Prairie Elementary students in Bethany Cleghorn’s art class. Each student received a bookmark during the ceremony, which drew a big crowd.
“Last year, when we had the reception, I think we had more people than we’ve ever had at one time in this gallery,” Levanti said.
This time around, 27 students from kindergarten through fifth grade were chosen to participate. Their art will be on display at InGenius! all month long, and the students will be recognized with certificates and goodie bags during the reception.
“I see the artwork all the time, and I just want to bring it all home. I just want to stare at it all the time,” Larsen said.
The art show’s theme is “what makes Washington feel like home,” and artwork from each grade had to incorporate specific aspects of Washington and the Pacific Northwest.
• Kindergarten: Cool color pine trees using mixed media (collage, oil pastel)
• First grade: Sunset over Mount Rainier using tempera paint
• Second grade: Value rain clouds using charcoal
• Third grade: Hills in complementary colors using tempera paint
• Fourth grade: Landscape point-perspective using watercolor
• Fifth grade: What makes Yelm feel like home using mixed media (watercolor, oil pastel, collage)
Artwork was produced in Cleghorn’s class, and she chose the pieces that best fit the themes and also tried to find something special.
“I could only pick 27 out of the 400 or so students that we have. Giving them that letter saying they were selected and seeing their faces was really special,” Cleghorn said. “I think all of the selected artists put in a lot of effort in their artwork and tried something unique or different.”
Levanti admired Larsen’s initiative to bring the art show to InGenius! and to create an “art recital” like dance or piano students have.
“She’s hungry to help the kids and show what they’re doing so they can be acknowledged for it. Art students don’t get the dance recital or the piano recital,” Levanti said. “We want to make them feel special and celebrate them a bit.”
