For two days, student artists took over the Long Beach High School gymnasium as the district-wide art show returned for its annual display. More than 1,000 pieces of artwork — from intricate sculptures to detailed pencil drawings — created an impressive gallery for the evening of May 29 and the morning and early afternoon of May 30.
Each of the 11 art teachers across the school district submitted work representing every grade, from kindergarten to 12th. “There’s a little bit of everything in the elementary schools, lots of mixed media for the students to work with — drawings, painting, sculpture,” explained Joanne Harvey, a ceramics teacher at Long Beach High School. “As the students move into high school, they take more focused courses based on their interests.”
The annual showcase isn’t just for presenting the students’ recent work. It also gives parents and students insight into the range of work being done at higher levels including ceramics, fashion and photography.
“It’s a wonderful thing,” said Julia Lang-Shapiro, the director of media, visual, and performing arts for the Long Beach School District. “Because you have people who might be coming here to see their elementary student’s work, but they have the opportunity to see what’s happening at our middle school and our high school, as well. The types of art they’re working on and also where their focus is.”
The work also helped to bolster confidence and inspiration in developing student artists. Lang-Shapiro explained the underrated side effect, saying, “I think students are super-proud when they get to come and show off their artwork, like ‘This is mine!’ It’s just a great experience for everybody.”