LEXINGTON, Ohio–When Western Elementary art teacher Ashley Roberts had the idea to host a family art night, she expected eager participation from the Lexington community. However, she didn’t anticipate exactly how popular the event would be.
More than 300 people signed up and showed up to participate in Roberts’ first art night on Monday, bringing students and their siblings to Western Elementary to create a clay bowl. The school’s entire cafeteria was packed full of families working hard on their projects.
Roberts said the initial idea of a family art night at Western Elementary came from the success of the Mansfield Art Center’s family art nights.
“This is something that’s been in the works for a couple of years but I was really able to harness it this year,” she said. “I just had the idea that I really wanted to do something that involved the community and really got parents and kids out all together.”
Following a St. Patrick’s Day theme, students created a clay shamrock bowl starting with a block of grey clay. Roberts instructed the artists to first flatten their clay with either their hands or a rolling pin, then trace the outline of the shamrock into the clay and cut around it. Tools and random items at each table were used to decorate the clay with various patterns and textures before students glazed their bowls and submitted their completed work to be fired in the kiln.
Two students working hard on their clay bowls were kindergartner Sarah Garbo and her big brother, third grader Trevor Garbo. Sarah said she used a string of beads to create “bumps” on her shamrock bowl, while Trevor opted for many more textures.
“I made the same exact thing with a ton of decorations,” said Trevor. “But I don’t know why I put flowers whatsoever, because I am not a girl.”
Trevor noted he also took advantage of the St. Patrick’s-themed snacks provided by Western Elementary staff members, including green cookies and green punch.
“I just came here to have fun,” he said.
“It’s nice that the event was this popular, to get the community out and parents and kids,” added mom Stacy Garbo.
Roberts said with the overwhelming success of Monday’s family art night, she definitely plans on holding more events in the future.
“Tonight was absolutely, 100 percent above and beyond expectation,” she said.
“I just had the idea that I really wanted to do something that involved the community and really got parents and kids out all together,” said art teacher Ashley Roberts.
