The boxes were still in the corner as Vititia Williams looked at all thousand pieces of artwork from local students covering all four walls of the 5,000-square-foot space.
Williams is the director of education at the Arlington Museum of Art, but she once was an art teacher at Morton Elementary. She still remembers her first Youth Art Month in 1998.
Then, there was only one reception night, so the entire Arlington ISD community crammed into the old Arlington Museum of Art space. People were crowding wall-to-wall, and the lights were so harsh. Williams, then a new teacher, was being interviewed.
“All I kept thinking was I don’t want to pass out on camera,” she said, laughing.
Almost three decades later, Williams is a part of the team planning with art teachers to display students’ works in the new Arlington Museum of Art’s Community Gallery space, which hosts the 34th Youth Art Month show through May 3. There’s no limit to the medium: You may see some paintings, some drawings, some 2D and 3D works and some sculptures, too.
They have enough space to work with now to showcase all the artwork and still have room for parents, students and art enthusiasts to network and take photos, Williams said.
Traditionally, the free exhibition showcases work from Arlington ISD. This year, Duncanville ISD’s Central Elementary School joins the party.
The museum will hold three reception nights for the Youth Art Month show.
“We are fortunate to partner with the Arlington Museum of Art for over 30 years to continue this amazing tradition that allows our students the opportunity to be recognized for their talents and creative expressions, ultimately allowing them to tell their artistic story,” said Linh Nguyen, the district’s assistant director of fine arts over the visual arts program.
If you go
- What: The Arlington Museum of Art presents “Youth Art Month” exhibition to showcase local students’ art pieces.
- When: Through May 3, 2024
- Tuesday-Saturday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Sunday: 1-5 p.m.
- Where: 1200 Ballpark Way
- Price: Free
Visit here for more details.
Youth Art Month used to take up the entire museum space. This year, with the new location in the city’s Entertainment District, the exhibition takes place alongside “Pompeii: The Immortal City” and “One Point Five Degrees.”
“The true magic of Youth Art Month at the museum materializes when our littlest artists see their own artwork displayed and come to the realization that they matter, that their art matters, and that a supportive community encourages them to pursue even their wildest dreams,” said Ana Perez, a visual arts teacher at Webb Elementary.
Vina Sanchez, art teacher at Atherton Elementary, made a huge deal of announcing those making it to the show, she said. She loves seeing each student light up when they see their art showcased at the museum and finds it a privilege to showcase her students’ best works.
“I like to think of it as the last game of the World Series,” Sanchez said.
Williams is still in the process of taking all the pieces in. The museum receives so much artwork that they have to put some of it up in an overflow exhibition space across from the Community Gallery.
She’s happy to see the pieces. She’s also glad to see some names that she recognized, as she only retired from Arlington ISD last year.
She took one more tour around the space and picked up a sticky note on an art piece closer to the ground. The teacher asked for the piece to be placed lower as the artist was in a wheelchair.
“It’s like when you hear athletes reminisce about the first time that they got a ring or the first time that they won a championship — they never forget that experience,” Williams said. “And I think that’s what it does for the kids — they never forget.”
Dang Le is a reporting fellow for the Arlington Report. Contact him at dang.le@fortworthreport.org or @DangHLe. At the Arlington Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
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