Roughly 250 people attended the first Family Art Night at Clanton Elementary School on May 5 allowing children the option to paint alongside a parent or guardian.

“Art is a very important part of the student’s curriculum at CES,” said CES art teacher Julie Harrison. “I love hosting art shows every spring, and for the last 10 years the event has taken several different formats. Over the years, we have included music and dance presentations, silent auctions with ceramics, purchasing framed art, class books, technology slide shows, and even Spanish curriculum connections.”

Harrison said this year she wanted to incorporate something “different” and decided to invite parents to be active participants in the art-making process.

“This way parents (or guardians) can actually see and do an art project first-hand,” Harrison said. “The goal of the night was to allow students to enjoy quality time with family in their school setting.”

The event was held in the cafeteria at CES where children and their parents filled the rows of tables using paint supplies in front of them to create a piece of art under the instruction of Harrison.

A screen was set up at the front of the room with a video of Harrison painting an image on canvas titled “Our Town” which was played throughout the event for parents and children to follow along.

“I chose the theme ‘Our Town’ for the painting because I knew that there would be endless possibilities for color and variation in each person’s work,” Harrison said. “The lesson had a landscape of rolling patterned hills with small houses randomly placed on each. I taught the topics of drawing, painting around the color wheel, and adding detail with neutral colors.”

Harrison reminded students and parents prior to the paint night beginning that not every painting had to be the same.

“This is just a guideline for how you can paint your picture, but you do not have to make them all look the same,” Harrison said.

While everyone painted, music played in the background to match the theme of the painting.

“I selected familiar songs to play that matched the theme including ‘My Town’ by Montgomery Gentry, and ‘My Homes’ in Alabama’ by the group Alabama,” Harrison said. “The music, combined with soft lighting, really created the perfect atmosphere for painting.”

A second Family Art Night will be held May 12, and Harrison said several things will be improved from the debut Family Art Night including opening more registration tables and covering the lunchroom tables with paper to keep everything clean.

“This event would not be possible without the efforts of my fellow teachers, administration and family,” Harrison said.

In addition to the Family Art Night, students at CES were allowed to bring their family members to the school to view art they completed in art class.

“Over the period of a school year, students are exposed to different art mediums and techniques,” Harrison said. “These include watercolor paint, tempera paint, pencils, clay, oil pastels and more. To highlight the work that students create, I display one canvas for each of my 750 students. Also, the second graders (about 225 students) have an art piece displayed down the main hallways of the school. In addition to two-dimensional art, about 20 classes had their clay creations on display. This year formed pinch pots, snails and lion faces. I always love seeing the culmination of beauty that can be created by little hands. To me, there is an innocence shown deep within the lines, colors and shapes that young children make. In my opinion, art is truly one of the best ways to capture a student’s childhood.”

This year’s artwork will be on display May 12, and visitors are welcome to stop by the school during school hours of 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. each day to view the art. For more information, call 280-2730 or email jnharrison@chilton.k12.al.us.