Each year, our network of schools comes together for a celebration of our scholars’ artistic talents at the For Art’s Sake Scholar Art Show & Artisan Fair. This Saturday (March 25th from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.) the cafeteria at Elementary School 2 (52 Broad Street, Cumberland) will once again be filled from wall to wall with artwork including photography, paintings, sculptures, and more made by scholars in grades K-11.
At Blackstone Valley Prep (BVP), our approach to art education is unique. Our art classrooms are “choice based studios” where scholars are regarded as artists who direct their experience. Together they practice with a variety of mediums and techniques and then, with the guidance of our art teachers, scholars follow a process to set project goals for themselves, develop plans for executing their vision, and then bring their vision to life using the techniques and mediums they have practiced. Afterward, scholars reflect on their work, ask peers for feedback, and share their lessons learned from the process. As a result of the creative freedom given to our scholars through this method of art education, the artwork our scholars produce (that will be on display this weekend) is eclectic, outspoken, and often bold.
In addition to spending time in our scholar art gallery, children will be drawing, weaving, and painting at “creation stations” throughout the building and guests big and small will have the opportunity to attend free workshops with our guest artist, Adam Ferbert, during the art show. The hallways on two floors will also be lined with local artisans and vendors selling photographs, digital artwork, candles, LulaRoe leggings, and more. Joining us this year will be:
- Braintree Studios
- Orange Cat Candle Co.
- Mimi’s and Emi’s Shop
- Jewelry by Tiffany
- In A Snap
- IZO Arts and Crafts
- Player Pride Bracelets
- Your Teachers’ Candle Shop
- Whitney Bates Art
- Designs De Andrea
- LuLaRoe with Tiffany Lee
- Too Pink to Resist
- L&G Country Crafts
- Faith Works Face Painting
In addition to celebrating the visual art our scholars and community can create, this year this event will also give us the opportunity to give a nod to Music In Our Schools Month (MIOSM). MIOSM is an annual celebration during March meant to engage educators, students, and communities from around the country in promoting the benefits of music education programs in schools.
We have so many musically talented scholars and staff members here that it was easy to fill a program with a variety of performances! We hope you’ll join us this weekend for a showcase of visual and performing arts. Take a look at our schedule:
- 10:00 a.m. – 12:50 p.m. – Our Network Music Director, Piera Leone, will be playing background guitar music on the 2nd floor by table #8.
- 10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. – Scholar Chris Hinds will be playing his guitar on the 1st floor in the foyer.
Performances taking place on the 1st floor on the cafeteria stage:
- 10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. – Scholar Isaiah Waring will be playing various instruments.
- 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. – Our high school chorus, led by music teacher Elyssa Hurley, will be performing.
- 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Our middle school chorus, led by music teacher Elyssa Hurley, will be performing.
- 12:00 p.m. – 12:05 p.m. – Scholar Skye Chavez will be performing a short monologue from Goodbye Charles, by Gabriel Davis, called “I Ate the Divorce Papers.”
- 12:05 p.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Music Teacher Mike Weber will be playing the Saxophone.
- 12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. – Music Teacher Chris Jackson will be playing the Saxophone or guitar.
- 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. – OPEN JAM SESSION, anyone who has an instrument in the building (voices included) is invited to gather by the stage in the cafeteria for a fun open jam session to close out the event.
