Artwork from Phoenix Elementary School District students adorned the walls at Alwun House during the annual Salon des Enfants exhibit last week.
“To be able to see their artwork hanging at a professional art gallery is definitely an accomplishment for the students,” said Lauren Feldman, an art teacher at Kenilworth Elementary School. “The students have a sense of ‘wow, I can really do this and I am an artist.’ I think that is really exciting, and it’s a real honor.”
Every spring for the past 25 years, students in grades fifth through eighth are chosen to have their art displayed at the Salon des Enfants exhibit. The art is for sale for $25 a piece and all of the money earned goes right back to the students, explained Dana Johnson, president of the Alwun House Foundation.
“It’s really encouraging for them to see that they could actually potentially make money doing art,” Feldman said.
The district’s Art Department Chair John Avedisian has been exhibiting his own artwork at Alwun House since 1985 and was instrumental in the creation of this exhibit.
“Kim Moody and Dana Johnson at the Alwun house have been really good friends to the PESD for many years now and they constantly tell us that this is their favorite show of the year,” Avedisian said.
The art that is exhibited at the Salon des Enfants show does not need to follow a certain style although the teachers do follow the state art standards when teaching their lessons throughout the year.
“We encourage the kids to think outside of the box and come up with their own ideas within those parameters,” Avedisian said.
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Phoenix Elementary is one of the only school districts in Arizona that continues to expand their art department, Avedisian said.
“Kids who have a curriculum that is rich in the arts, excel at much higher rates than kids who don’t have access to those programs,” Avedisian said.
Johnson, president of the Alwun House Foundation, said they are excited to host this exhibit every year and play a part in advancing students’ art education. She also said she believes the work the district has done to promote a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) education is critical in a child’s development.
Feldman said she hopes this will inspire the students and create an incentive for them to establish a creative career in whatever endeavor that means for them, be it architecture or science.
“There is art everywhere,” she said.
Contact the reporter at Clare.Griffin@asu.edu.
