Student artwork on display at Crystal Bridges construction site
BY JEFF MORES Benton County Daily Record
BENTONVILLE — Josh Kindell, a student at Reagan Elementary School in Rogers, never thought much of his artistic ability. Then Friday rolled around and all of that changed.
Kindell, his classmates at Reagan and students from elementar y, middle and Montessori schools across northwest Arkansas gathered to see their very own creations unveiled at the construction site of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art on Northeast J Street. It was the second such installation of student-created art panels to the fence surrounding the site, which Crystal Bridges has dubbed its Fenceworks Gallery.
“This is awesome,” Kindell said. “I always thought I was bad at art. Now, I know I can do it. Everyone’s going to see this.”
Each of the painted panels were student-created depictions of their own communities. Some chose to paint landscapes, while others incorporated important or recognizable architecture and wildlife. Kindell and classmates went the collage route, including trees, cows and railroad tracks. They even managed to cram in a depiction of Pinnacle Hills Promenade and Interstate 540 into the bottom right corner.
“I’m thrilled by all this variety,” Crystal Bridges exhibition assistant Ben Edwards said. “This was intended to be a way for students in our communities to get involved and express themselves. It’s gone over very well.”
Other schools whose panels were included in the second installment at the Fenceworks Gallery were: West Fork Middle School, West Fork; Elkins Middle School, Elkins; Community Imagination Studio, Fayetteville; J.O. Kelly Middle School, Springdale; Hellstern Middle School, Springdale; Gentry Intermediate School, Gentry; and Walnut Farm Montessori School, Bentonville.
Edwards said several more schools have been extended the opportunity to create work for the Fenceworks Gallery. He expects a third installment of panels in the near future. All student artwork will remain on display until Crystal Bridges opens in 2010.
Publication:Northwest Arkansas Times; Date:Jan 27, 2008; Section:News; Page Number:6
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