Selected pieces from Lenihan Intermediate School were chosen for the Classical Splash art contest. MACC Board of Trustees member Sharon Greer said this is the first year for the contest. There will be a reception for the artists and their families at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow at the MACC.

“We thought this would be a good contest now that the museum is back open,” she said. “We would like to keep the contest going, and expand it to East Marshall and West Marshall.”

Greer said they began with only Marshalltown Community School District so they could get a better feel for how the contest should be run.

Students listened to pieces of classical music performed by the Marshalltown High School orchestra, and created inspired artwork. Thirty art pieces were chosen for display out of more than 750.

Lenihan Intermediate fifth grade student Georgette Baraka’s art will be on display at the Marshalltown Arts and Civic Center beginning tomorrow. Her artwork is one of 15 fifth grade pieces chosen in the Classical Splash art contest.

Lenihan art teacher Nick Beard said he narrowed the choices down, and then a panel selected the chosen 30 – 15 from the fifth grade, and 15 from sixth.

“I picked 50 that I felt encapsulated the assignment,” he said. “I wanted to choose different abilities and perspectives of the world. As the orchestra was playing, the students’ job was to reflect and use the images created in their minds for their compositions.”

The chosen art represents different perspectives, and each one is important, Beard said. It was important for all the elements of art – line, shape, color and value – were used. Many mediums will be on display, such as pencil, colored pencil, watercolor, marker, ink, acrylic, collage and oil. Some of the students were very diligent in creating their pieces, he said. Students were notified their artwork was chosen for display.

“Some were speechless,” Beard said. “They did not think they would get this level of recognition. How often are they recognized for the work they put in day after day? Some are finding strength in themselves because it is the first time their work is being seen.”

The resulting art was surprising to the teacher. The answers found within themselves showed a depth of knowledge.

“I did not think they would be able to come up with imagery as deep as some of them are,” he said. “As their art teacher, I am very proud. There are so many different answers on display.”

ART DISPLAY RECEPTION:

Location: Marshalltown Arts and Civic Center, 709 S. Center St.

Date: Thursday, April 18

Time: 5:30 p.m.

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Contact Lana Bradstream at 641-753-6611 ext. 210 or lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.