This week at the Plymouth Center for the Arts: Celebrating art and education

It’s Youth Arts Month at the Plymouth Center for the Arts, and to celebrate, the center will host the Plymouth Public School’s annual Youth Art Month exhibit, featuring the work of local students. The show opens Thursday, March 11, and runs through Sunday, March 21.

Observed each year in March, Youth Arts Month emphasizes the value of art education for all students and encourages support for quality school art programs.

Founded in 1961 as Children’s Art Month, it was later renamed to reflect the inclusion of secondary school students. Today, it is sponsored nationally by the nonprofit Council for Art Education, and celebrated more locally through the participation of many volunteers, along with art educators, students, the leaders of youth organizations and those who display the student art in their communities.

Kathy Tosolini, the unified arts director for the Plymouth Public Schools, says the development of Youth Art Month has contributed to the awareness of school art for both parents and the public. Students and parents are increasingly recognizing the importance of art education, she explained, as the “need to be totally, visually literate.” 

In Massachusetts, just like academic course work, art education must conform to state curriculum standards, known as “frameworks.” The art frameworks include scope and sequence, color theory, content and design. They support the importance of being visually well versed.  

Here in Plymouth, Youth Art Month has been a special event for more than 10 years, the last two of which were celebrated at the Plymouth Center for the Arts. Initially, the student art displays were supported by grants from the Plymouth Cultural Council and the exhibits were hosted by the Radisson Hotel. They included artwork from students in grades 1-12 in all the Plymouth schools as well as the Sacred Heart schools and Rising Tide Charter School. Since 2008, the show has been held at the Plymouth Center for the Arts and is supported by the Plymouth School Department. It exhibits the works of local public school students. The shift in financial backing from grant money to the schools coincided with the creation of the unified arts director position and the hiring of Tosolini in 2008.

Tosolini remembers the first year the exhibit was held at the Center as “a very grassroots” experience. Preparations for the art show involved the setup of about 300 pieces of student art on display boards that were replaced the following year. Typical of most art exhibits, the behind-the-scenes work is extensive and often unseen. Art teachers from across the school system are essential to the program. They are responsible not only for selecting and cataloging the students’ work, but they also participate in the setup including dry mounting the works on Foam core boards, generously donated by Golden Gull Studios.

Both two- and three-dimensional works have been displayed in these exhibits and the entries have been impressive, dynamic and growing. Not only are there more pieces each year, but a spirit of innovation and self-challenge has added to the diversity of styles. Paintings, drawings and other conventional works are joined by 3-D pieces such as baskets, clay and relief works, puppets and weaving. At the opening of the exhibit, the student artists are recognized and receive certificates of participation.

This year’s exhibit adds a new element. Students have submitted written descriptions to accompany each piece. The intent is to enhance the viewer’s understanding of the inspiration for the work. Another special feature will be a display of collages created by Manomet Elementary School students and exhibited last year in Washington, D.C. The collages were a collaborative effort in support of the Edward Kennedy Services Act , which encourages volunteerism. Copies of artwork by Andy Warhol, Norman Rockwell, Peter Maxx and others were enlarged, cut into squares and added to student art related to volunteering, then reassembled.

Drop by the Plymouth Center for the Arts from March 11 through 21 to more fully appreciate the talents of our public school students. And while you’re there, don’t forget to take in the exhibit entitled “Show Off !” showcasing the talents of guild instructors and their students that runs through March 28.

For volunteer opportunities and a complete list of upcoming events, classes and workshops, visit www.plymouthguild.org or call 508-746-7222.

The Plymouth Center for the Arts, at 11 North St., is open six days a week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 4. Gallery admission is free, with fees for some special events. Parking is available on the street and in the public lot across from the Center. Call 508-746-7222 or go to www.plymouthguild.org for more information.