The Clarke County School District, in conjunction with the Lyndon House Arts Center, is pleased to announce the opening of the Biennial CCSD Student Art Exhibition, titled “RE-,” which will be on display from Oct. 11 through Jan. 14. An opening reception will be held Tuesday, Oct. 18, from 5:30-7 p.m. at the center. This ongoing partnership between CCSD and the Lyndon House Arts Center celebrates the creative youth in our community and the importance of art education. Following these pandemic years, organizers worked to develop a theme for the exhibit reflective of our shared experience and the hopeful possibilities of rebuilding together.

“Artists often start with concepts to ignite their imaginations as they plan, prepare, and create artwork,” said Dan Smith, Fine Arts, Health, and Physical Education Curriculum Coordinator for CCSD. “Teachers and students were all challenged with a return to ‘normal’ in the fall of 2021. From this return emerged a concept, which serves as the basis of this exhibition. What comes to mind when you think of the prefix ‘RE-’? Perhaps recollection, recycle, rethink, redo, reimagine, restart, reset, remember — the list goes on and on. Many of these words may seem to point back to the past, but they also point us to the future and in new directions.” The exhibit will include works by students from grades K-12 and will include all mediums — weaving, sculpture, photography, painting, drawing, and collage.

Also included are a number of large collaborative artworks by classrooms and grades. The opening reception on Oct. 18 will also feature performances by many talented young musicians, including Dr. Eunice Kang's Clarke Central High School Orchestra, Leslie Sokal-Berg's Clarke Central Guitar Ensemble, Rebecca Floyd's Cedar Shoals High School Orchestra, and Aaron Price's Music Technology students from Cedar Shoals. In addition, through a partnership with the Athens Downtown Development Authority, the DDA this fall will be installing streetlight banners throughout the downtown area featuring the youth artworks from every school in the district, on exhibit at the art center.

The “RE-” exhibition is accompanied by a beautiful publication with each student artist’s work pictured. The catalog is available to each child in the show and as quantity continues, these are available to family, friends, and community members. Thank you to all the supporters and sponsors who make this publication possible. All exhibitions are free of charge and open to the public. Exhibitions are on view during regular gallery hours, Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Please note during the fall, the Lyndon House Arts Center will continue to be closed on Saturdays when there are home University of Georgia football games (Oct. 8, Oct. 15, Nov. 5, and Nov. 26).. The Lyndon House Arts Center, located at 211 Hoyt St., is a facility of the Arts Division of the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government Leisure Services Department. For more information, call 706-613-3623, or visit www.accgov.com/exhibits.