Students 'Open Doors to Spring' at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden with art
Seventy-two Highland School of Technology students will have their art show at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden this spring.
The students painted both sides of wooden doors as part of the "Opening Doors to Spring" exhibit, which will run through June 18 at the botanical garden.
"I'm beyond proud. I'm filled with beautifulness," said freshman Sasha Kellogg as she stood next to a door she painted with pansies. She said she hoped her her art delivered a message to people who see it. "I want people to be full with joy."
More than 100 people attended the opening of the exhibit on March 19, the day before the start of spring, a peak time for visitors to Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden.
Principal James Montgomery thanked garden staff with working with the budding artists. "These things don't happen by accident," Montgomery said. "They are part of an intentional partnership."
People skeptical of today's young people should visit Highland Tech, Montgomery said. He believes those visitors would leave the school inspired by seeing well-rounded students put their skills and knowledge into creative art. Much of the credit for the fine arts program at Highland Tech goes to Marty Hutchins, the program's teacher, Montgomery said.
"Mr. Hutchins, thank you for creating a place where dreams can come true," Montgomery said.
Senior Kathryn Lindquist had never worked with a canvas as large as a door, she said. "When I first heard about this project I was incredibly nervous," she said. Her artwork of lavender, tulips and daisies on a door not only demonstrated her creativity, but also perseverance, she said.
Junior Reese Thomas said being allowed to be creative at school was fun, but also hard work. "Art is my passion and I hope to make a career out of it someday," Thomas said.
Habitat for Humanity of Gaston County donated the doors that became art pieces. Pisgah A.R.P Church provided a grant for art supplies. The students, said John Searby, the interim executive director of the garden, brought "art and nature together."
About Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden
Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, located at 6500 S. New Hope Road, Belmont has 30 acres of gardens, including a children’s garden, a conservatory dedicated to the display of tropical plants and orchids, the Dry Piedmont Prairie, annual and perennial displays, sparkling fountains, walking trails and more.
In 1991, Daniel J. Stowe, a retired textile executive from Belmont, reserved 380 acres of prime rolling meadows, woodlands, and lakefront property and established a foundation on which to develop a world-class botanical garden. A lifelong nature lover and gardening enthusiast, Stowe and his wife, Alene, envisioned a complex evolving over several decades to rival other internationally renowned gardens. The board of Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden has started work on planning how to utilize the 300 acres surrounding the garden.
This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Students 'Open Doors to Spring' at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden
