Creativity on display: Students wow attendees at Wooster City Schools Fine Arts Festival
WOOSTER − "Classroom to real life."
That is how one parent, Allison Neptune, described the excitement Saturday at the Wooster City Schools 23rd annual Fine Arts Festival.
The high school commons was decked out with "the creativity of our students, K-12," said Kristin Broda, dramatic arts instructor.
"It's lovely," said Neptune, citing her children's enthusiasm in seeing their and their classmates' artwork on display.
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In the mix from Parkview Elementary School first-grade student Colette Neptune — looking at the exhibits with her third-grade brother, Tommy — was a crayon rendering of her and her best friend.
Broda said the event returned after a two-year hiatus resulting from the pandemic.
'Everybody is included' at the Fine Arts Festival
"I love that the annual number, 23rd, is the same as the year," said Tricia Nussbaum, high school visual arts teacher.
Nussbaum had been at the high school since early in the morning, checking on last minute details, including "putting up things that fell down."
The setup and cleanup so much work but always worth it, she said.
"It's always nice to have a culminating event," Nussbaum said.
Broda pointed out the broad expanse of work reflects the diversity of art, media and techniques students use.
"It's one of my favorite days of the year," said Dawn Blattel, visual arts instructor at Edgewood Middle School. Some of the students were asked what in their estimation was their best work to be part of the gallery in the commons.
"My goal is everybody is included," said Katherine Snyder, visual arts teacher at Edgewood.
Wooster City Schools students celebrate their artwork
Kean Elementary third grader Harrison Sutter showed his colorful skull picture for a Day of the Dead assignment, outlined in glue and filled in with oil pastels as a tribute to the Mexican holiday culture.
Kyra Ulry, a fourth-grade student at Parkview Elementary, displayed her dragon eye clay sculpture, inspired by a similar design she studied in her art class.
Roy Melrose, an Edgewood sixth-grade student, explained the technique involved in turning his own shoe into a paper-mache model.
High school junior Payton Haynes made three felt mice with "plastic Teddy bear eyeballs," she said.
Her friend Ida-Marie Fuhrman's work was represented by several pieces in graphite, mixed media and tempera, including a lifelike portrait of a crane.
Birds, including cranes and blue herons, are part of her theme, Fuhrman said.
Drama and music highlighted the day as well, with an exhibit along the side wall illustrating makeup, costumes and prop work done by stage craft students.
The orchestra was tuning up as the day began, to be followed by the band.
Orchestra Director Caren Atanackovic said middle school and high school members would be performing special numbers. Students volunteered and participated in extra rehearsals to take part, Atanackovic said.
The high school drama club scheduled one of its three performances of its spring show, "Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic" for Saturday.
Attendees could also enjoy a Readers' Theater and improv demonstrations with five different games.
Independent judges awarded first-, second- and third-place ribbons for the older students and honorable mentions for the younger students' artwork.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Student work featured at annual Fine Arts Festival at Wooster High
