Artists have long found a haven in La Conner, a community that actively celebrates creativity.
And, judging from the second annual Junior Art Walk event here, that won’t change anytime soon.
The next generation of La Conner artists showcased through various media an impressive collection of projects at La Conner Swinomish Library and two dozen local businesses over the weekend.
“We definitely have some great young artists here,” Library Director Jean Markert said.
Those attending the Art Walk reception at the library Friday afternoon gave rave reviews of the student submissions, which ranged from Papier-Mache and string art to colorful illustrations and thematic interpretations of the Amor Towles novel ‘A Gentleman in Moscow.’
“There are some really neat pieces here and around town,” stressed Markert, who provided insight into the student artwork during the two-hour open house.
Markert pointed out that the student art was a mix of projects completed in school courses and during youth classes held at the library. The library classes featured a variety of art forms, including block printing, Papier-Mache, and watercolor.
The artistic impressions inspired by ‘A Gentleman in Moscow,’ set in the immediate aftermath of the Bolshevik Revolution and which addresses life in luxury hotels contrasted with Russia’s long tradition of house arrest, were submitted by high school students enrolled in the new La Conner Learning Community program.
The La Conner Learning Community is an alternative education component that provides project-oriented, hands-on lessons allowing students to explore topics and earn academic credit in various subjects.
Many of the La Conner Learning Community submissions were anonymous. One, entitled ‘The Rules of a Princess,’ linked poetry to bold symbols representing key passages in the Towles book.
“The theme of this piece is restriction,” stated a written perspective shared by the artist. “I hope it stands out to people, saying ‘Hey, there are rules and restrictions placed on women — to be a princess comes with standards and expectations.’
“But to be human,” the teen insisted, “is to live beyond the limits placed on us.”
La Conner fifth grader Harper Voorhees shared that one aspect of art’s appeal is its connection to life’s imperfections. She did so with ‘Messy Morning Beautiful,” a project drawn from an instance of water being spilled on the family breakfast table.
“We might think it’s a mistake or a mess,” Voorhees explained, “but the beauty of the art is in the eye of the beholder. What we think is a mess is something beautiful in disguise.”
There was no disguising the skills of Junior Art Walk participants, though. Their talent was on display for all in La Conner to see.
Bill Reynolds: bill@laconnercommunitynews.org. Bill is a general assignment reporter who covers Town government, schools, and spot news.
