Restrictions are starting to ease – for better or worse. Vaccines are on the rise – thank goodness! I don’t often focus on what I’m missing. I’m not really hoping for a “return to normal” I’m not sure I know what that would look like anymore. For some people it’s hanging out with a group of friends or attending big family gatherings – others miss movie theaters and the energy of live music. For the most part, I’ve been incredibly fortunate and don’t stop too long to think about what isn’t happening…but there is a noticeable lack this month. This is the first year that we have missed hosting Corpus Christi Independent School District’s Youth Art Month.
Since 2017, the library has opened its first and second floor galleries to the talent and creativity of junior and senior high students from across the community. Throughout the month of March, the galleries would fill with a riot of color: sculpture, pen and ink, collage, and more – highlighting the incredible talent of our local students. Often, teachers would exhibit a variety of student submissions for the same assignment – letting us see the individual reflections of a particular project. The skill and creativity of these students is amazing! We would wrap up the month with a reception – inviting students, teachers, family, and friends to celebrate the incredible exhibit.
I’d like to think that instead of hanging on a display panel in our building – the artwork is on show in living rooms, tacked up to bedroom doors, and stuck to the front of refrigerators throughout the community. In my head, family and friends are still celebrating the creativity and imagination of our local students – but keeping the party a little closer to home. Keep safe and healthy, we’ll look for you next March!
