Student artwork brightens the halls of Sacred Heart Greenwich in preparation for the annual All-School Art Show April 29 from 3:30 to 6 p.m..  Live music, interactive button-making, a mosaic mural, and student docents await visitors to celebrate the work of student artists from the Barat Center through the Class of 2022. 

The first All-School Art Show occurred on King Street in 2019, before the event went virtual for 2020 and 2021.  Third-grade students Alexa Hughes and Sophia Stone, seventh-grade student Maisie Pascal, senior Lydia Fullerton, and Mrs. Marnie McLaughlin, Upper School Art Teacher, are enthusiastic about the return of live shows.

“After two years of virtual All-School Art Shows, we feel like we are finally emerging from a very long winter,” Mrs. McLaughlin said.  “We are thrilled to bring the halls of the school alive with beautiful student artwork and to gather as a community to celebrate our creative and talented Sacred Heart artists.”

The show will span across the school, with art hanging in the Science Wing lobby, the Lower School hallways, and the Upper School corridors.  The respective galleries will feature abstract, landscape, animal, three-dimensional (3D) and mixed media, portrait, and still-life works of art.  The Cora E. McLaughlin Gallery will display artwork exclusively from Advanced Placement (AP) Art and Design and Advanced Portfolio classes.  Hayes Hall will showcase the eighth grade capstone projects and a sculpture exhibit.  

Alexa and Sophia created pastel sunflower paintings and weavings, which will hang in the still-life and abstract galleries, respectively.  Alexa particularly enjoys finding inspiration for her artwork.

“My favorite thing about art is that art can come from anywhere,” Alexa said.  “Creative ideas can come from anywhere and anything.  Inspiration and ideas are all around.”

Alexa also appreciates the challenge of drawing detailed subjects.  She shared that art has taught her the importance of perseverance. 

“If something goes wrong, you can always improvise and make it right,” Alexa said.  “Continue to believe, because if you believe you will continue.”

Similar to Alexa, Sophia described the dedication she gives to each piece of art in the design process.  She loves seeing the beautiful art that her efforts eventually produce.  She looks forward to sharing her work with the wider Sacred Heart community.

“I feel really excited and happy that my artwork is going to be shown because I want people to know how talented everybody is,” Sophia said.  “I think art is important because without art the world wouldn’t be as full and creative.”

One floor up, in the Middle School, Maisie crafted a plaster mask, multiple paintings, and a sculpture for the All-School Art Show.  Maisie designed her sculpture, titled “Trash Matters,” to spread awareness about food waste.  She believes that art has the ability to shift the emotions of the viewer.  She also discussed the influence of art on her own life.

“Art means so much to me,” Maisie said.  “It connects me with everything.  I can be in outer space or in the ocean, all because of art.  I feel my happiest when I am in the art studio at school, thinking of and making new projects.  It is just the perfect place for me.”

Lydia takes the AP Art and Design course at Sacred Heart.  She composed works in genres including mixed media, landscape, and surrealism.  Lydia believes that presenting artwork in front of others is a vital aspect of artistic growth.  For her, art shows facilitate the convergence of the artist’s creation and the viewer’s interpretation.

“I find art to be one of the most powerful ways of expression because it is subjective not only to the artist but also to the viewer,” Lydia said.  “Often with writing, an author has an intended purpose or message that he or she would like the reader to understand.  While of course that is applicable to art as well, art allows more room for interpretation in my opinion.  Art is not only about what you’re viewing physically but also the cultural context, composition, and dynamic of the piece as a whole.  One of the reasons I love art is because it allows a unique experience for each individual; no experience or understanding is ever the same.”

Lydia furthered her idea that art recreates itself in the eyes of each viewer, asserting that art has the power to inspire social change.  She believes that art can serve as a call to action.

“Visuals are what encourage a new understanding and in turn, an action,” Lydia said.  “Art is absolutely impactful for spurring action because it is not imposing.  It allows the viewer to come to his or her own understanding through his or her own thought process.”

Featured Image by Avery Kim ’24