Educators at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum held their 9th annual spotlight event honoring and celebrating the artistic expression of nine art educators from Bryan-College Station on Thursday, Oct. 12.
The event was hosted by Shirley Hammond, Director of Education at the museum. Hammond is an advocate for the arts in the B-CS community and highlights the importance of the fine arts, especially for students.
“I think art is vital in our society because it teaches critical thinking skills, it helps students become courageous and gain confidence that can expand their horizons,” Hammond said.
The event’s featured artists shared their artwork and commented on their creative processes.
The artist’s works are now on display at the museum. According to Hammond, every piece in the collection honors the life and work of Leonardo Da Vinci as a mastermind of both the arts and sciences.
Jami Bevans, Arts Chair at A&M Consolidated High School, was one of the artists honored at the event. She spoke about the importance of acknowledging local artists and art educators.
“I think it’s important for our students to see that their teachers actually practice what we teach,” Bevans said. “It’s an honor that the library has given us an opportunity to put ourselves out there so that the community can see what we do — that it’s not just about what we do in the classroom, it’s what we do outside of the classroom as well.”
Bevans also spoke about the growing artistic community in the area, and the role the Bush School is playing in its development.
“From the First Fridays in Downtown Bryan to the Art’s Council and all that they’ve done for us, this is just another one of the components of bringing art out into the community,” Bevans said. “Bryan-College Station, we have artists too, you don’t have to go to Austin to find the artsy people, you don’t have to go to Colorado to find the artsy people, we’re here.”
Another honoree was Lisa Miller, a Bremond ISD art teacher. She emphasized the importance of art education and reaching out to creative students to develop their potential.
“When I moved to Bremond from Austin in 1996 they had not had an art teacher at Bremond ISD for six years, and when I got there the kids were so starving for the creativity and for just thinking outside the box,” Miller said.
Miller said it’s important to foster a sense of community for all students, not just the ones who excel in math and science areas.
“Having kids in my classroom who thought something was wrong with them because they were creative — suddenly they find out no, you’re great, you’re wonderful and you have a space where we value the way that you’re wired,” Miller said.