• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About Us
  • Videos
    • Featured Video
    • Foodie Friday
    • Monthly ReCap
  • Online E-Editions
    • This Week’s E-Editions
    • 2023
    • 2022
    • 2021
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
  • Social Media
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
  • Advertising
  • Local Jobs
  • Puzzles & Games
  • Circulation Request

The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

       

Click to join our weekly e-newsletter

  • Home
  • News
    • Land O’ Lakes
    • Lutz
    • Wesley Chapel/New Tampa
    • Zephyrhills/East Pasco
    • Business Digest
    • Senior Parks
    • Nature Notes
    • Featured Stories
    • Photos of the Week
    • Reasons To Smile
  • Sports
    • Land O’ Lakes
    • Lutz
    • Wesley Chapel/New Tampa
    • Zephyrhills and East Pasco
    • Check This Out
  • Education
  • Pets/Wildlife
  • Health
    • Health Events
    • Health News
  • What’s Happening
  • Sponsored Content
    • Closer Look
  • Homes
  • Obits
  • Public Notices
    • Browse Notices
    • Place Notices

Artmazon show

December 7, 2011 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Spectators walk through the Artmazon at Rushe Middle School.

By B.C. Manion

Kendra Gagnon painted her face and created a cat costume to get into the spirit for “Explore the Artmazon,” a student art show at Rushe Middle School.

She’s only 12, but she has already developed a keen interest in art.

“I love it,” said the seventh-grader, while showing off one of her works on display at the show. “Ms. Mo is great. She is just awesome. She’s really calm.

“She lets us do really awesome projects. She lets us be creative.

“The art show is great. It shows everybody’s creativity. It gives everyone a chance to show off their work. Some of the stuff in the art show is just phenomenal.”

Shannon Gagnon, who is Kendra’s mom, is pleased that her daughter has an opportunity to showcase her work.

“I’m her mom, so I’m biased. I think she’s definitely talented. Being in the program has given her more of an open mind to new concepts,” Shannon Gagnon said.

“It’s been a wonderful creative outlet for her,” she said, and she expects her daughter will continue developing her artistic interest for years to come.

She thinks her daughter’s interest is inborn.

“She’s been drawing since she was 3,” Shannon Gagnon said.

The seventh-grader had a painting and some digital prints on display at the show – which featured hundreds of student works — displayed on tables, stands, walls and even the railing of a staircase. There was digital photography, 3-D creations, paintings and drawings.

Some art club members wore rainforest-themed costumes or beaks with feathers, to celebrate the show’s theme. Principal David Salerno even got into the act, donning a beak with feathers to demonstrate his support.

Art teacher Jilda Morera, who is called Ms. Mo by her students, said having these kinds of shows provides an important forum where students can share their work with the community.

“It’s important for us to be able to show how creative our students are,” the teacher said, and it allows the community to demonstrate their support.

Besides being a showcase for the students, the event was also a fundraiser. The teacher wants to buy some digital cameras to help her students more fully explore their talents.

The rainforest theme was in keeping with an enormous tree that the art teacher painted in the school’s atrium. It stretches three stories high.

She estimated that she spent about 30 hours on a cherry picker, working on the tree.

Principal Salerno commissioned the painting to enliven a space that gets heavy traffic each school day.

Salerno said the school art show creates a great opportunity for students to share their work.

Pasco County School Board Chairwoman Joanne Hurley and her husband, John, were among those attending the show.

“It just shows the enthusiasm of this teacher. She is marvelous. We would like to clone her,” Hurley said.

The school board chairwoman was also pleased to see a good turnout at the art show.

“You always see a lot of people at football games or athletic events, but it’s so heartwarming to see the crowd that has turned out tonight to see this wonderful art.”

Her husband, John, was impressed by the quality of the students’ work.

“These kids are really talented,” he said.

While being pleased to see her daughter’s work on display, Shannon Gagnon said she is also glad that the school district supports the arts – and allows students to pursue the creative side of their nature.

“I definitely think it’s an important part of a school’s curriculum. It gives them (students) a place to express themselves in a healthy manner. They need an outlet that’s safe.  It’s part of a child’s development, I think.”

It’s important for students to have a place to express themselves at school because they don’t always get the support they need at home, she added.

“Some kids’ families don’t understand how important creativity is – if they have that knack for it and they love it, they need encouragement.”

 

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Email
  • Print

Like this:

Like Loading...

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

Search

Sponsored Content

New Community Garden Arrives at Del Webb Bexley 

March 28, 2023 By Kelli Carmack

Exciting things are happening at Del Webb Bexley, the 55+ active adult residential community just off Sunlake Boulevard, … [Read More...] about New Community Garden Arrives at Del Webb Bexley 

TPA-Parkview-Myrtle

Imagine More at Mattamy Homes’ Area Communities

March 28, 2023 By Kelli Carmack

With every new home community, Mattamy Homes demonstrates their dedication to thoughtful details and meaningful value … [Read More...] about Imagine More at Mattamy Homes’ Area Communities

More Posts from this Category

What’s Happening

04/01/2023 – Bunny Hop Eggstravaganza

The Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, 3032 Collier Parkway, will host a Bunny Hop Eggstravaganza on April 1 from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will be bounce houses, games, music, food trucks, and scheduled egg scrambles. The event will be at the outside football fields and basketball court. Registration is required to participate in the egg scrambles. The cost is $3 per child. Children ages 2 to 10 can register with their age division and time frame at Secure.rec1.com/FL/pasco-county-fl/catalog. For questions, call 813-929-1220. … [Read More...] about 04/01/2023 – Bunny Hop Eggstravaganza

04/01/2023 – Cacti and Things

Kessler’s Cacti and Things will host its annual Spring Plant Sale on April 1 and April 2 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine, at Bearss Grove, 14316 Lake Magdalene Blvd., in Tampa. The event features thousands of plant varieties, and an assortment of specimen and collector’s plants. For information, email . For questions and directions, call 813-264-5614. … [Read More...] about 04/01/2023 – Cacti and Things

04/01/2023 – Dade City Art Walk

The Downtown Dade City Art Walk will take place April 1 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. There will be more than 20 art locations for guests to meet the artists and shop local artwork, as well as a little Pre-Casso Exhibit for young aspiring artists. There will be an opening ceremony at 5 p.m., along with a map distribution, at Florida Cracker Lunch on Limoges. … [Read More...] about 04/01/2023 – Dade City Art Walk

04/01/2023 – Easter Bash

Hope City Church, 5513 School Road in Land O’ Lakes, will host an Easter Bash on April 1, for the whole family. Admission is free. For information, call 813-948-7555. … [Read More...] about 04/01/2023 – Easter Bash

04/01/2023 – Food Truck Festival

An International Food Truck Festival will take place on April 1 and April 2 at the Tampa Premium Outlets, 2300 Grand Cypress Drive in Lutz, with more than 70 food trucks, tents and trailers, to benefit local charities. Admission is $5. For more information, call 727-674-1464. … [Read More...] about 04/01/2023 – Food Truck Festival

04/01/2023 – Historical Association

The Zephyrhills Historical Association will meet on April 1 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at the Zephyrhills Public Library, 5347 Eighth St. Participants can discover and discuss historical events, places and people of Zephyrhills and Pasco County. For information, call 813-780-0064. … [Read More...] about 04/01/2023 – Historical Association

More of What's Happening

Archives

 

 

Where to pick up The Laker and Lutz News

Copyright © 2023 Community News Publications Inc.

   
%d bloggers like this: