Intergenerational art to shine at ‘Origin & Echo’ show
An intergenerational art show to debut on May 1 at the Northport Arts Association (NAA) building will feature adult artwork inspired and paired with K-12 student work.
Northport Public School Art Teacher Jen Evans is organizing the show, “Origin & Echo,” that will involve most of the district’s K-12 students, as well as kids from Northport’s newest children’s center run by Betsy Shiner, Dandelion Discovery Center. The show will include a variety of work from youth of all ages, including adults which will act as the “echo” of what is submitted. Evans said she is also looking to reach residents from Northport Highlands to get a broader age range involved in the process.
Students will be paired at random with an adult in the community who will create a piece inspired by the student’s art. By the time the show is ready, both works of art will hang side by side at the gallery. Adults can be at the gallery to meet their young artists and to share their creations with them for the first time during the opening show as well.
In the meantime, students are starting on their art for the show this month, and adults can expect to see and respond to those pieces in March. Each grade has different, open-ended themes to base their art on to ensure that all pieces are unique.
“I love small communities just for the fact that we’re all so interconnected and this community is very, very interconnected like that,” Evans said. “I’m really curious to see how this shakes out because this could be sort of the catalyst for something bigger. One of the big things was getting the community into the school and the school into the community, and I try doing that every time I can.”
With over 70 adults already committed, Evans said she is hoping to get as many more people as she can from the community to help. She anticipates that there will be around 121 student art pieces, so is looking to have just as many adults signed up to make the show work.
“The echo does not need to be the same medium as the origin,” she said. “So if a kid did a painting, the adult could respond with a welded piece. (Superintendent) Neil’s mother, Deb Wetherbee, is participating and she’s a stained glass artist, so she’ll be doing a stained glass piece of whatever art she receives to respond to… It’s open to any avenue you want to take, but I think the artist’s statement is what’s going to bring the two pieces together.”
Adults that volunteer to participate can be novice to professional artists and make art using any medium, which includes everything from poetry and sculptures to jewelry creations and dance. Evans said the ultimate goal of the show is “to bridge gaps, make connections, and celebrate the importance of creating art throughout all ages of life.”
“Our art shows are always impressive, so I’m excited to be a part of the show,” said Northport School Superintendent Neil Wetherbee, who will be one of the adult participants. “Art is definitely not a strength of mine, so I’m also happy to model that one doesn’t have to be traditionally good at art to participate. I haven’t exactly seen what I signed up for, so I’ll have a better idea of what I’m in for once I receive the assignment.”
Origin & Echo at NAA will be on display for two weeks after the grand opening on May 1 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. Evans is still in search of artists in town and surrounding Leelanau County communities to participate. If interested or would like to learn more about the show, contact Evans at [email protected].
