Old Bonhomme Students Display Art on April 23

The Old Bonhomme School art show is a school wide event involving 410 artists. It was begun over 35 years ago by Mary Giles, the former art teacher.

Students review their portfolios and select their two best pieces to exhibit. The work is then matted and hung by parent volunteers and teachers. The exhibit also highlights several 3-D works by students. The event is Tuesday April 23 from 7-8 p.m. at Old Bonhomme Elementary School. The 2-D work will be up on display until the third week of May, the  3-D work will only be on display the evening of the 23rd.

There will be two additional highlights: a 4/5th grade tile installation of rain forest animals which is a gift to the school from these two grade levels and a new tile frieze created by the  fourth graders.

The rainforest animal tiles came from a study of South America which is the school's cultural focus this year. Each year students focus on one continent and explore the geography, history, art, culture, dance, and music of that continent through art, music and PE classes.

The tile frieze is piece that the grade level chooses a theme and works on together. This year's theme is: Journey to the 5th Grade Center: A Lewis and Clark Connection.

Students connect their big move to the newly renovated fifth grade center with the curriculum unit they study on Lewis and Clark.

Students are making a connection to art, history, curriculum and their current lives. This piece highlights all the ways humans and moved since the time of Lewis and Clark until today.

Viewers will see keel boats, river boats, bicycles, cars, school buses, fire trucks, foot traffic, horses, helicopters and more. All of these ideas came from the students, 77 of them working together.

Lisa Roth is the Old Bonhomme art director and heads up this show.