After a two-year hiatus, the CSC High School Art Day took place Nov. 8 despite the city of Chadron losing power the day before during a damaging windstorm. Regional high school art teachers and nearly 100 students were excited and enthusiastic to attend the event, according to Art Professor Mary Donahue.
The following Nebraska high schools brought students: Alliance, Bayard, Bridgeport, Chadron, Gordon-Rushville, Hemingford, Mitchell, Morrill, and Sioux County. Custer and Oelrichs, South Dakota, high schools, also attended.
Students participated in hands-on visual art workshops led by CSC faculty members Laura Bentz, Trudy Denham, Mary Donahue, Dewayne Gimeson, and Jack Kant, as well as Art majors Carissa Hill of Imperial, Neb., Whitney Martin of Guernsey, Wyo., Morgan Helfer of Custer, S.D., and Corey Griffin of Omaha. An additional 20 CSC Art students assisted.
Workshops included Graphic Design, Drawing in Multi-Media, Ceramics, Printmaking, Photography Photograms, Architecture, Wire Sculpture, Watercolor, and Collage.
Esther Wilson of Gordon Rushville said she has been bringing students to Art Day since she started teaching in 2006.
“Art Day gives my students an opportunity to create using some media that our school doesn’t have such as graphic design and photography. I, as a teacher, look forward to talking with other teachers to discuss projects, class logistics and ways to improve my own curriculum,” Wilson said.
Jessica Scott of Bayard said she appreciates Art Day because it nudges her students out of their comfort zones and introduces them to other students interested in art.
“Students get opportunities to find some independence. My students get to see what art classes CSC offers and how their high school experience in art is similar or different to college,” Scott said. “I look forward to meeting with other art teachers to compare student expectations and procedures. I know it’s extra work, but I do appreciate CSC’s Art Day and I know my students do too,” Scott said.