At the 13th annual district-wide art show on Thursday, May 8, poster boards towered over even the tallest guests, filling the Dartmouth High School gym in full rows of color and creativity.

Students from across the district led proud parents by the hand, eagerly weaving through the maze in search of their own creations to show off. Tables brimmed with ceramics, jewelry, and mixed media projects, while families lingered, chatting among the displays.

Although the show missed a few years due to the Covid pandemic, it remains a cherished tradition that predates even its current form. Art teacher Christine McFee, who organized this year’s event, explained that it began as a high school exhibit in the library before former Superintendent Steve Russell expanded it to include the entire district.

“What I really like about this art show is the pride the kids have in their work and how they want to show their friends and their family,” McFee said, adding it was also exciting to see the students get recognition for their work.

She said she couldn’t even “venture a guess” at pinpointing a number on the over a thousand pieces on display Thursday night. “Every kid who takes an art class has something here” — and some even had multiple.

Getting the show together was a “big group effort,” McFee said. “I’m very, very proud of all the art teachers and our students.

Though chameleons are designed to blend in with their environments, among the sea of reptiles that made it to the show, Luke Gile, 7, had a bright pink portrait of the creature that stood out. 

The purple background of the work was filled with hearts and stars “because they looked good,” according to Gile, who said he finds art to be “fun.”

Nicole Perry attended the show with her daughter, Audrey, who proudly pointed out her abstract landscape. 

Starting with colorful blobs, Audrey layered bold black lines and designs across the page. 

“It was fun,” she said. “I liked that we could draw whatever we wanted.” 

Nicole said they come to the show every year and love watching kids race around in search of their work.

For high school senior Jenna Rock, the show marked a culmination of years of artistic growth. An Advanced Placement art student, many of her pieces explored themes of death and legacy — “what people leave behind.” She also showcased jewelry and ceramics that experimented with the human form. 

Rock said she’s proud of her work and plans to continue studying art at UMass Dartmouth in the fall.

Elsewhere in the gym, Alicia French and her daughter Autumn Roy, 9, searched the displays for Autumn’s robot project. Based on a design she chose in class, Autumn began by folding a large piece of paper to create symmetry, tracing it in Sharpie and then adding color.

Autumn recalls messing up and needing to start over with a whole new paper. 

“It was really hard, but I tried my best,” she said. “I had fun doing it.” 

Alicia said it was their first time coming to the show, but she thought it was “cute” how all the displays were set up with student work.

Autumn said, “It’s really fun to see everyone’s art.”