The Bellefonte Area High School hosted its 19th annual art show on May 2, marking the end of a successful year of art within the school. The show has been held every year for the last 20 years, barring a canceled event in 2020 and a virtual one in 2021, and this year over 8 dozen student artists were featured with nearly 800 works displayed.

          The effort to celebrate the high school’s student artists was certainly not an easy one for art teachers Mrs. Erin Welsh and Mrs. Heather McClure. The pair was  tasked with the ultimate construction and preparation of the event, as well as the coordination of every one of their art students.

           “Compiling and organizing everything and making sure everything is safe is the hardest part,” Mrs. Welsh said. “We haven’t ever had any big problems, nothing has been damaged, but it’s still difficult.” 

           In the end it was worth it.

           “The art show, it’s my favorite time of year even with the show and its difficulties,” Mrs. Welsh said. “I get super proud of [the art students], I get really excited to see everything put together.”

            Mrs. Welsh’s favorite part was seeing the reactions of all her art students.

            “The kids all get happy to see [the festival], everyone gets super excited to show their parents,” she said.

            The same goes for Mrs. McClure.

            “When I have the privilege to see the reactions of students and their families it’s always a joyful and satisfying feeling that we are offering an art program that offers this outlet for them – a space to create, make cross-curricular connections, enriches their life and find their voice in a media that speaks to them. It’s exciting,” she said.

           The show was not organized with any particular theme, but a select few senior artists were featured in their very own senior showcase, which each displayed close to a dozen or more pieces that all expressed their artist’s talent and artistic voice. For senior Affina Garvin, her showcase was a long time coming.

           “I’ve been waiting my whole high school career to have my own Senior Showcase. To some it may not seem significant but I’ve worked so hard on every one of my pieces and I’m thrilled to show them off,” she said. “Art is my life blood and most people don’t understand how fulfilling it is. By seeing the halls lined with work, people’s passions, they can understand why art matters to so many people.”