By Thomas Sellers Jr.
The colors, artistic styles and creative works were plentiful Saturday afternoon in the Millington Civic Center.
All the artwork on display at the 2019 Millington Arts Council Student Art Show was made possible the students of Millington area schools like Millington Central High School, Millington Middle School, E.E. Jeter, and E.A. Harrold.
The event, approaching its 10th anniversary, had nearly 300 pieces hanging throughout the Civic Center with pieces from the high school student available for silent auction.
“We base our scholarships we give to each school on how much we make from the silent auction,” said Stephanie Flanagan Millington Arts Council’s special events coordinator. “Then we round it off. Say if raised $600, we’ll round it off to a $1,000 to give out two $500 scholarships.”
MCHS art teacher Joanne Zachary gave a tour of her students’ work that drew hundreds of dollars in bids. From silhouettes to depictions of nature to sports, the MCHS students had a chance to illustration their feelings, interests and lessons from Zachary.
Over at Millington Middle Valerie Shavers, MMS art teacher and education liaison for the Millington Arts Council, was also on hand explaining her students’ creations.
“It’s awesome,” she said. “I love it every year. It’s not about the money. It’s about my kids being able to see their work up on the wall. It’s not just up at the school, its pride in it.
“They ask me all the time, ‘When is the show coming up? I wasn’t able to make, so did I win anything?’” Shavers added. “So they really feel a sense of pride that people come out to see their work.”
Shavers said this annual event put on by MAC is crucial to the learning development of students.
“It’s really important because kids really need to continue to make art, they need to stay creative,” she said. “It helps them have open and activate imaginations. It helps them in their other classes. We do summer classes a lot of the time and it helps them stay with the educational process.”
Flanagan said all those who volunteer and participate in the Arts Council will continue the mission to benefit Millington as a whole.
“We want to showcase the artwork No. 1 to give back to the community,” she concluded. “And No. 2 rewards the children for getting involved in art no matter what age. We never stop creating art and we never stop giving back to the community. This is our way of doing that.”
