By Julie Slama | [email protected]

Lone Peak Elementary second-grader Andrew Johnson brought his parents, Brittny and Rob, as well as younger siblings, Liam and Brynn, to his school art show.

“I liked creating the owl because we could use a lot of colors,” Andrew said, pointing to his artwork. “But I’m looking forward to doing pottery when I’m older. I like the cupcakes with lots of swirls and colors.”

Andrew isn’t alone in anticipating this school year’s art show. Parent Allison Timothy always marks Lone Peak Elementary School’s art show on her calendar.

“I love to come to the showcase to see what my kids work on and what artists they study,” she said as she looked at fifth-graders Seth and Sadie’s owls and second-grader Eliza’s self-portrait. “It’s always so much fun. Not only do they show me their work, but what others are doing. It’s creative, such as a black light hall and umbrella art, and there is a project they can create tonight as well.”

The annual end-of-the-school year art show attracts current and former students as well as families in the community. Hundreds walked through the entire school, viewing artwork such as fifth-graders’ binocular versus monocular vision adaptions in animals; second-graders’ winter landscapes inspired by the work of Vincent Van Gogh; and fourth-graders’ depiction of an Aspen grove. 

Tying into this past April’s show’s theme, “Through the Looking Glass,” patrons could see kindergartners’ royal selfies, monoprints of fruits and vegetables made by first-graders; second-graders’ coats of arms; and collage castles made by third-graders, amongst others’ artwork.

“It’s been a fun theme for the show,” said Lone Peak Elementary’s Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program specialist Cassie Walker, who was the school’s Teacher of the Year. “Everywhere I go, I look for inspiration. I was in London over spring break and had tea, which lead to me thinking about how fun it would be to use the Alice and Wonderland theme for the show. And of course, I saw umbrellas so that brought in the umbrella art and there was royalty and castles. I saw stained glass so that gave me the idea of creating the stained glass art with first graders. It all just evolved.”

Walker also credits other arts teachers with ideas.

“I borrow, I follow, and share ideas,” she said, adding that she works alongside grade-level teachers to have students demonstrate what they’re learning and express it through art, tying into core standards in science, social studies and language arts. “I couldn’t do this show without the army of volunteers. We work hard to make this a real art show. It’s magical and amazing. It’s a big event for our community.”

It is met with such strong support of parents that Walker uploads students’ portfolios in Artstonia, an online company that not only displays students’ work, but also makes it available for purchase on merchandise.

“This way, parents and relatives, who may not live close by, can see their creativity and work. They don’t have to purchase anything, but many do as gifts for grandparents,” she said.

Nancy Thunell, whose third-grade son Parker, along with Averie Jensen, were checking out the black art room, has looked at Artstonia.

“I’ve purchased his art prints from Artstonia; it’s just wonderful,” she said. “This art show is really clever. I come every year and wouldn’t miss it. It is the finest community event we have.”