Students from Dolores Schools are showing off their artwork at the Dolores Public Library until the end of November.
The creative expressions range from the abstract watercolor ponderings of kindergarten kids, to the more refined, multimedia paintings and drawings of middle and high school students.
"We had more than 100 art pieces; everybody brought in their best work," said art teacher Amy Loughry.
The middle school students were assigned to create a warm-cool color combination with a reflection-reversal technique. The results were interesting, and the students responded well, Loughry said.
Kamea Neel, a seventh-grader, added some sibling teasing to her artwork.
"I drew in a spider, because my sister hates spiders," she says cheerily. "Now that I've gotten used to drawing, I want to take more classes because it is fun."
Eighth-grader Courtney Corbitt explains the process of tracing the reflection onto the painting, and is proud "that she decided to make up what to draw rather than rely on the Internet" for inspiration.
Elementary art teacher Mara Vinton, "had students experiment with painting a mood. They did pretty well, with some going toward subject matter about something in their lives."
Sydney Malarchick's artistic creativity and skill is obvious. Her evocative paintings trend toward the natural world and environmental issues.
Her "Modern technology owes ecology an apology" shows a bear and cub in a polluted forest.
High school student Michael Ligi paintings are strikingly unique, and incorporate astrology symbols of his family members.
"He is very creative and thinks out of the box," remarked Loughry.
And artist Kristin Campbell shows off her understanding of recontextualization, an advanced technique that puts subjects in a different context to create an ironic image. A painting that shows a person with a TV for a head watching her actual head placed on a television stand says it all.
Art show attendees were asked to vote on their favorites. The results follow.
Middle school: first, Josie Majors; second, Zenda Olson; third, Courtney Corbitt; honorable mention, Bri Suckla, Colton Coffman, Tayonna Gallegos
High school: First, Sydney Marlarchick; second, Abby Hopcia; third, Kristen Campbell; honorable mention, Faith Pejsa, Autumn Seeber
