Posted by Communications staff on 4/13/2021
How do you create a piece of art that covers the entire entry wall at your school? By doing it together!
Hamblen Elementary has a years-long tradition of collaborative art projects, where students from every grade create small artworks that when combined together, create a much larger masterpiece.
“We really believe that art is an essential element of a comprehensive elementary experience,” said Principal Stefanie Heinen.
“We do a Family Art Night at Hamblen every year where different art projects will be set up around the school,” said Hamblen art teacher Stacey Gonzales. “Students and families would come in, follow the instructions on the tables and put together their artwork. Then me and [PTG volunteer] Desi Mowry would put those together to create the bigger piece.”
“We’ve put together a quilt, a family tree and a God’s Eye for Family Art Night projects,” Stefanie said.
This year, Stefanie, Stacey, and the rest of the Hamblen staff weren’t about to let a pandemic stop them from getting their students to create another eye-popping piece of art. So just like a lot of things this past year, they decided to do this year’s Family Art Night virtually.
Students interested in participating in the Family Art Night project were sent home with an envelope containing strips and shapes cut out of colored paper and simple instructions. What they did with the paper after that was up to them. Then on the day of Family Art Night, Stacey and Desi joined the students online to help with their artwork and answer any questions.
When the students brought their finished product back to school, Stacey said she was blown away.
“A lot of the students were so creative with their pieces,” Stacey said. “I never would have thought to do three-dimensional shapes, but some students did.”
The students’ pieces from Family Art Night are now all together and on display in Hamblen’s front entry to showcase their hard work and cooperation.
“Our students are so smart,” said Stefanie.
“This project turned out better than I ever could have imagined,” added Stacey.
