Evesham Township School District’s annual “Eyes on Art” show lived up to its name when hundreds of students, families and members of the community attended the show’s opening night on May 13 at the Evesham municipal building.
The annual show transformed the municipal building into an art gallery with exhibits comprised of artwork of selected students from every elementary school and each middle school in the district.
Paintings, sculptures and live demonstrations filled the halls of both floors and the courtroom as crowds gathered to set their eyes the student’s work.
This year’s annual theme was architecture, with other recurring themes including fantasy, still life, landscapes, animals and more.
ETSD Superintendent John Scavelli said this year was the show’s 20th year, and the district was always thrilled to put on such a well-attended event where students can showcase their talent for everyone.
“We’ll have everything open throughout next week,” Scavelli said last week. “They’ll be coming in and out through the building looking at the artwork throughout that time. We actually get a lot of people who come back who don’t even have children in the district anymore, but they just look forward to the annual art show.”
Scavelli started the show by presenting awards to students from last year’s show whose work was selected to be framed and displayed throughout the school district administrative building and municipal building until this year’s show.
“It’s great,” Scavelli said. “I had one of the pieces in my office throughout the year, and having it in the building is wonderful. We get to look at it every day and as well the municipal building gets to see the artwork. It’s a good way to display the talent of the children, and I know they certainly like it when they do come into those buildings when they see it as well.”
One young artist who received an award along with her framed artwork was Evans Elementary School fifth grade student Melissa Minniti. Her artwork was featured in the municipal building for the past year and she said that was very exciting because she loves art.
“I usually like to use my imagination to make up things,” Minniti said.
Minniti’s mother, Kit Byrd said their family was full of artists, so it was great that the school district would promote the arts in such a great way.
“I think it’s great considering it gets more children involved in the arts, and I think it’s good for their self-esteem,” Byrd said. “It’s good for mom and dad’s self-esteem also.”
Also at the event was Mayor Randy Brown. Brown credited the art teachers for the way they’ve developed the show and worked with the leadership of the community to host it at the municipal building for a second year. Previously the show was hosted at the school district administrative building.
“Last year it was definitely a beautiful art museum, and this year it’s an art gallery,” Brown said. “I think we all had a vision of what we expected this to be, but it has exceeded the expectations.”
Another parent at the that event was Andrea Dormer, mother of Van Zant Elementary School second grader Ava Dormer. Dormer said she was impressed by the show, and excited for her daughter.
“I think it’s so great for the kids because it gives them more confidence, and for kids that are artistic and love art this is such an honor for them that they have something like this,” Dormer said. “There are a lot of kids that maybe aren’t sports kids but love art, and they deserve something like this.”
The show will run through May 22 with exhibit hours from 9 a.m.-7 p.m., with the show closing at 3 p.m. on the final day.
