GOOD NEWS CAFÉ TO DISPLAY MIDDLEBURY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ PET PORTRAITS
Art Enrichment Students Develop Critical Thinking Skills
(See Photos)

Middlebury Elementary School (MES) students displayed their art work in a gallery show at Carole Peck’s Good News Café, 694 Main Street South in Woodbury. The show is entitled, “Painting a Passion, Our Pets”.

From March 11th through April 8th, MES fifth-grade art enrichment students, selected by Middlebury Elementary School art teacher Mrs. Kathy Miller, had their paintings on view to restaurant patrons. The young artists attended the opening at the Café on March 16th.

The students used acrylic paint on canvas to paint a portrait of their pet. According to Mrs. Miller, “It’s easy to create art about something you care about and what child doesn’t have a special attachment to an animal?”

“I really impressed upon them the creative use of color and composition,” explained Mrs. Miller.  “They were free to choose whether their use of color was realistic or imaginative. The students also created thumbnail sketches before painting the portraits in order to make thoughtful judgments about how to compose the pet on the canvas.”

As part of the curriculum, Region 15 art educators stress the mental process of analyzing famous artwork and a student’s own self-reflection. To that end, students spend much classroom time performing critical thinking exercises and communicating ideas with their teacher and each other.

“I thought about using Van Gogh’s work as an inspiration,” said fifth-grader Tim C., “but I wanted to create a texture on my painting that Van Gogh doesn’t use. My dog likes to get right in your business and I thought by using this in-your-face globs; it’s like my dog is getting right into your face.”

Additionally, students must consider the impact of their creative choices. Students are learning to articulate how, what and why they intend to communicate meaning through their work. Rich and long-lasting learning takes place when students use the skills, knowledge and concepts taught to create work that is relevant and meaningful to them.

“I didn’t want my pet portrait to be a realistic picture of my cat so I painted his picture with blue paint so he makes himself stand out,” said Gabby B. “He also thinks he’s king of the world and very regal, so I put a crown on his head.”

The Good News Café has been featuring the work of Region 15 students for the past few years. In 2006, Pomperaug Elementary School displayed their artwork at Good News Café and last year, Memorial Middle School students hung their paintings which were influenced by literature or by the artwork of Georgia O’Keeffe. Carole Peck and her husband, Bernard Jarrier, have run a gallery, featuring local and internationally known artists, at their restaurant ever since it opened. 

“Good News Café has been very gracious to the young artists of Region 15,” said Region 15, Director of Fine Arts, Jane Sarjeant. “We’re honored that they have chosen to showcase our students’ work again this year.”

A short segment about the MES Art Show will be featured in the upcoming episode of "Inside the District."