There’s always something engaging and inspiring about the art work of young people, and White Rock Museum and Archives plans to celebrate their creativity and imagination on a regular basis.
Starting this month the museum is officially launching its Art Wall program, designed to showcase art produced by students of both elementary and secondary schools on the Semiahmoo Peninsula.
First display, by students of Chantrell Creek Elementary, will be launched by a one-hour reception at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 29 at the museum, 14970 Marine Dr.
A dedicated seven-foot by eight-foot wall in the newly refurbished museum has been made available for the displays, which are being co-ordinated by volunteers Nancy Alliston and Linda Thomas.
The wall will highlight works from each school for two months at a time, and the art can include just about any medium, short of heavy sculpture, including paintings, drawings, three-dimensional, mixed-media, fibre art and photography.
Work to be featured is selected by the schools, although the museum has final discretion over what is hung.
The only other condition placed on the program is that the museum would like to see the theme of each display, wherever possible, compliment the theme of the current museum exhibit.
“All of the schools in White Rock and South Surrey will be invited to participate in the program,” said Alliston, who added the next scheduled displays will feature art from Elgin Park Secondary (January through February) and Southridge Senior School (March and April).
“It’s very exciting, because we could be featuring work by a child who is really interested in art and likes to do it, but has never had the opportunity to show it in public,” she said.
“I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the pieces I’ve seen so far.”
Alliston added that she and Thomas, who are recent volunteers, were encouraged to take on the program by museum director Sharon Oldaker.
“Neither Linda or I have ever done anything like this before, but we’re learning as we go,” she added. “It’s amazing how things have fallen into place.”
For more information on the Art Wall program, call 604-541-2221.