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Western Spirit Museum, Scottsdale’s Museum of the West, partnered with the Arizona Art Education Association to present a Youth Art Month exhibition recognizing student artists from across Arizona.
The exhibit was on display from March 15 to March 28 at the museum, 3830 N. Marshall Way in Scottsdale, and featured original works by students in kindergarten through 12th grade, according to a press release.
The annual Youth Art Month exhibition showcased artworks spanning multiple mediums, styles and themes. The exhibit concluded with a student artist reception March 28, which drew families, educators and community members.
Youth Art Month is celebrated nationally each March to highlight the importance of visual arts education and recognize student achievement. Teachers from schools throughout Arizona submitted student artwork, which was reviewed and selected by the Arizona Art Education Association Youth Art Month board.
In total, 109 student artworks were displayed at Western Spirit Museum. The 22 participating schools included:
Choice Learning Academy
Winslow High School
McClintock High School
Madrid Neighborhood School
Fees Middle School
Alhambra Traditional School
Alta Loma Elementary School
Gilbert Elementary School
Highland Park Elementary School
Superstition Springs Elementary School
Settler’s Point Elementary School
Towne Meadows Elementary School
Carillo K-5 Magnet School
North High School
Dream City Christian School
BASIS Phoenix
Thunderbolt Middle School
Ash Fork High School
Westwood Elementary School
Heritage Academy Maricopa
Central High School
The exhibition reflected the museum’s role in supporting young artists and expanding access to cultural and educational opportunities in the community.
“Each of these students brought something different to the exhibit, and with 109 pieces on display, it felt important to take the time to recognize each one individually,” Wade Weber, director of education at Western Spirit Museum, said. “It was meaningful to be able to recognize them one by one and talk about what made their work special. Every piece reflected its own set of skills and creativity, and those differences are worth celebrating.”
Students whose work was selected said the experience of displaying art in a museum was meaningful.
“It felt very special having my art hung up in a museum for a lot of people to see. It’s very rare for kids to have their art hung up in a museum,” said Abe Ginder, a fourth grader. “What I love about making art is that you can express your feelings and emotions on a paper or a canvas.”
“It was an honor to be a part of Youth Art Month because I love to make art, and I was proud to be recognized by having my artwork up on the wall in the museum,” said Camila Aguilar Feidler, a fifth grader.
“Being in the art show made me feel like I actually accomplished something because I have never been in anything like that before and so it felt pretty good to be to have my art displayed somewhere, so so that was really great experience,” said Riley Reddy, a fifth grader.
