Larysa Larson (center), an art teacher in the Moraga School District, congratulates Aliyah Yang (left) and Mailena Yang (right) who received blue Arts Ambassadors ribbons at their artist reception in 2018.
The Lamorinda Arts Council (LAC) welcomes K-8 Art Ambassadors from Lafayette and Moraga to the Art Gallery at the Orinda Library (Gallery) by displaying their artwork from Feb. 1-13. The public is invited to join the students, their families, teachers and supporters at their artist reception on Feb. 5 from 4 to 6 p.m. where light refreshments will be served.
Superintendent Richard Whitmore from Lafayette School District will be on hand to congratulate the students on their exhibit. Each student artist will receive a blue Arts Ambassadors (AA) ribbon. Moose Wesler and Larysa Larson, art teachers in K-8 schools in Moraga, have worked tirelessly showing young artists how to prepare their artwork for the exhibit. Karen Moe, Lafayette Partners In Education (LPIE) art and humanities chair, has also put in many hours coordinating 50 artworks from students at Stanley Middle School in Lafayette. Maile Nomura, Moraga AA student liaison, is working to coordinate the installation and reception.
Quite a lot is involved in preparation for the show: encouraging children as they create their artwork; preparing each piece for display; transporting art to the Gallery; creating a label for each artwork and arranging for it to be picked up after the exhibit. Wesler says, “Last year’s show was very exciting. It was inspiring to see the variety of artwork in so many different media at all grade levels. We’re looking forward to another great turnout of students and families at the artist reception.”
Approximately 150 student artworks – 100+ from Moraga and 50 from Lafayette – will be exhibited. Moraga schools include Camino Pablo, Donald Rheem, and Los Perales Elementary schools and Joaquin Moraga Intermediate School. Lafayette artwork is from Stanley Middle School. Organizers look forward to meeting Superintendent Bruce Burns from the Moraga School District who will be present to acknowledge the students at their exhibit.
Denise Nomura, LAC event chair explains, “We are excited to once again host the Lafayette and Moraga Art Ambassadors at the Art Gallery at the Orinda Library. This event will showcase young artists from the K-8 schools in both cities and will exhibit their work in a professional gallery that has a three-year waiting list. I’m looking forward to seeing the kids’ happy faces when they receive their participation ribbons at the reception.”
Visit the Gallery at 26 Orinda Way during normal library hours – Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The library is closed on Feb. 18, President’s Day. Call 925-254-2184 for more information or visit http://ccclib.org.
