H2-Oh! Springfield arts fest celebrates water

Springfield High School is holding its annual arts festival Tuesday. For the show, students from grades nine through 12 create artwork on a particular theme, which this year is water.

http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20110310/FEATURES17/703109984

Published March 10, 2011 in the Rutland Herald

H2-Oh! Springfield arts fest celebrates water

By Christian Avard
Staff Writer

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield High School is holding its annual arts festival Tuesday. For the show, students from grades nine through 12 create artwork on a particular theme, which this year is water.

“We take a theme every year that’s open-ended and all curriculums can relate to and something they studied,” said Springfield High School Arts Academy director Lisa Murray. “It is about celebrating what the kids are doing in the school.

The arts festival challenges students’ creativity, she said.

This year, students will transform the cafeteria into an aquarium and display a variety of water-themed items. Murray said they will perform music, dance and dramatic readings.

Up to 100 students are taking part in the festival. This year, a group of students will wood-burn a Leonardo da Vinci poem based on water.

An advanced placement class will take part in a collaborative art project and make mosaics out of tiles and glass.

Other students are creating sharks, octopuses, starfish, Poseidons and other wonders of the sea.

In addition, there will be sculptures, water paintings, mixed media paintings, a waterfall with words streaming down into a wading pool and much more.

“We’re making life-size people with clear packing tape relating to water. It’s a lot of problem solving and being creative, but it makes learning exciting for the students,” Murray said.

The sophomore class will be serving food during the arts festival. They will offer wraps, fruit cups and other snacks at a dollar apiece.

Parents are encouraged to have dinner and select from a variety of foods at the student-run cafe.

The Springfield High School arts festival is in its ninth year. When the Arts Academy was established 10 years ago, faculty and students wanted to create a community celebration of the arts, Murray said.

Students engage in creative art, writing, music and dance and the arts festival is an integral part of the program.

“What makes it exciting is all of the kids are working toward a common theme, they are being creative and they are exhibiting their work. It’s nice to see music, English and art students take part in something meaningful. This encourages them to think outside of the box,” Murray said.

The Springfield Arts Academy arts festival starts at 5:30 p.m. and takes place at Springfield High School, located at 303 South St.