By ALEXIS EAKIN, Staff Reporter

    Bellefonte Area High School recently held an art show on May 5, filling the main lobby with many pieces of art from students in grades 9-12. BAHS typically has art shows every year, but has not had one since 2019 due to the pandemic.

    The show required much planning and effort from art teachers Mrs. Erin Welsh and Mrs. Heather McClure, as well as their students. The artwork was not organized according to any particular theme, since the purpose of the show is to share the art from all art students at BAHS. 

    “By presenting different artwork all together it holds the attention of the viewer for longer and the experience is exciting,” Mrs. Welsh said.

    One section, called “ Senior Showcase,” presented pieces that members of senior art classes had completed from their freshman through senior years. Many seniors had over a dozen unique pieces that expressed their talents and interests, like Haley Popovitch, who’s been involved with the Bellefonte art department since she was a freshman.

    “It’s always been my thing [art]…it’s like the one thing I actually have motivation for,” she said.

    Even though there is no theme to the art show this year, Haley took AP 3D Art, and her concentration project was “emotions shown through the human form.” Haley spent the year creating projects with this theme in mind, and most of her projects were on display during the art show.

    “The emotions that I picked are something that everybody goes through. I think everybody can relate to them because everyone has emotions,” she said.

    There were many pieces displayed throughout the main hallway that remained displayed even for a few days after the show so the student body could still observe it during their school day.

    “I don’t have an exact number but I’d estimate around 500 pieces,” Mrs. Welsh said. 

    Overall, the show gathered a crowd through the evening hours of Thursday night.

    “We had a good turnout of people that showed up,” senior Angelina Aviles said.

    Stay tuned for next year’s art show at BAHS.