From bright-eyed ceramic owls and colorful paintings of endangered species to delicate relief prints, pen and ink drawings and intricate weaving, artworks created by 24 students from Park Ridge-Niles School District 64 are now on display at the Park Ridge Public Library in celebration of Youth Art Month in March.
The exhibit showcases students’ creativity in using a broad spectrum of materials and tools in producing their art, and illustrates how students’ skills expand as they advance through the art curriculum. District 64 art teachers selected student works that best captured the creative challenge presented in each project.
This year’s elementary school artists include: Carpenter – Sean Griffin, grade 1; Alan Chudziaszek, Anna Lind, and Nina Spandiary, all grade 2; Antonio Smeriglio, grade 3; Sadie Nelson, grade 4; Field – Josie Hennes, grade 2; Sejla Mujanovic, grade 3; Alex Nelson Zeman, grade 4; Franklin – Amie Mantilla and Alyssa Ira, both grade 1; Roosevelt – Annalise Wang and Stephania Prusa, both grade 4; Caroline Barker, grade 5; and Washington – Eden Wening, Audrey Beckman, Lily Wening, Nikki Tortorella and Molly Pistorius, all grade 5.
Middle school artists include: Emerson – Madeleine Flanagan and Bradley Johnson, both grade 7; Michelle Dolecki, grade 8; Lincoln – Jon Luke Lassa and GiGi Hreczuch, both grade 8.
Sponsored by the Illinois Art Education Association (IAEA), Youth Art Month showcases the growth of students’ creativity and visual communication skills through their original art.