Art that glows
Bright jellyfish illuminate the deep ocean as guests make their way through the hall.
American Academy – Castle Pines (AA) students, kindergarten through fifth grade, lit up the school hallways at this year’s annual art show, Glow in the Dark. Visiting guests, staff and students journeyed from outer space to the oceans. The students used neon and glow-in-the-dark mediums including paints, colored pencils and powders to create luminous effects.
The event took place through dark school halls. Upon entering, guests received a glow necklace or bracelet to wear during their tour that was guided by fifth-grade students using UV flashlights to highlight the art.
Starting in outer space, fifth graders created space-inspired sculptures from aluminum foil covered in paper mâché and painted to glow. Second-grade students painted images of galaxies, planets and alien spaceships.
The fourth-grade hall represented different civilizations through the creation of masks.
“I chose this theme because civilizations have created masks since the beginning of time. We discussed masks and the roles they played in history,” said Melissa Lopez, AA visual arts instructor.
Third graders showed off their hall with a sparkling cave of jewels. Each student created a gem and then all were fit together to create one masterpiece.
Finally, kindergarten and first-grade students sent guests into the depths of the deep blue ocean with angler fish collages and jellyfish sculptures made from coffee filters, yarn and streamers.
Artists and guests journeyed through space, then to Earth’s deep ocean at this year’s American Academy’s Glow in the Dark art show.
Glowing student artwork.
By Julie Matuszewski; photos courtesy of Melissa Lopez, American Academy
