Activities: Art

Art Shows

by Rita Heithoff

August 15, 2008

K-12 Elgin Public students have several opportunities to compete at various art shows in the area during the spring and summer. 7-12 students attend three shows during the spring. The Elementary students attend two shows, one in the spring and one in the summer.

The first show is the Junior High and High School, Keya Paha Invitational hosted at Springview on Monday, April 6th. The students bring their work in the morning and hang it in the different categories such as "Drawing". The show is judged by professional artists and/or art teachers who do not have students competing in the show. Superior, Excellent, Commendable and Honorable Mention ribbons are awarded at all three shows. Works deserving of special recognition are awarded Purple ribbons for Outstanding Work. The students participate in an art activity during the three hour judging. When the show is opened again the judges go through the show with the students and discuss various pieces of art work, what was good about them and why the judge gave them a ribbon. The students are allowed to ask the judges questions about their own work afterwards. The show is taken down at 4:00 and the students begin the two and half hour journey home.

The second show is the High School ESU#8 Invitational at Neligh. This show is hosted by the Service Unit in Neligh and all service unit schools are invited from all classes. The students are allowed to see a range of work from Class D to Class A schools. The show is set up on a Monday, April 27th. It is judged Monday evening and is open to the public all day on Tuesday at the Park Pavilion. The Judges' Critique is on Wednesday, April 29th in the afternoon. All of the purple ribbon, winners' works are brought to the stage where the judge discusses what made those art works deserving of special recognition. The show is taken down and the students return home.

The Art students spend a frantic Thursday re-tagging their work for the Niobrara Valley Conference Art Show on Friday, May 1st! This show includes Junior High and High School work from only NVC schools. This is a traveling show and is hosted by a different NVC school each year. This year we will travel to O'Neill St. Mary's. Students will hang their work in the morning the same as the Keya Paha show. There is an art activity during the judging for students to participate in as well. The Judges' Critique follows when the show reopens. The show is open to the public until 5:00, when it is taken down and the students return home.

The Elementary Art students participate in two shows. The first show is the Elementary ESU #8 Invitational at Neligh. Due to space limitations, only 2-4 projects per grade (K-8) may be entered in this show. Two Judge's Choice awards are given; one for K-4 and one for 5-8. Also awarded are Superior and Excellent ribbons. The show is on display at the Service Unit from April 17th-22nd and is open to the public.

The last show of the year is the County Fair at Neligh. The elementary students are allowed to choose 1-4 projects to mat and send to the fair. These are stapled to county fair boards before being sent to the fair at Neligh. The work is displayed at the Park Pavilion and students are awarded Superior and Excellent ribbons. The work is returned to the students the following school year.

K-12 students are allowed to take their work home after all shows are completed for the year.