Recently, high school students from Magna Vista High School in Ridgeway experienced the current exhibits on display at Piedmont Arts.
Throughout the day, art students were dropped off by buses for a tour led by Sarah Short, coordinator of Piedmont Arts’ Education. Knowing what each class was currently working on in their own projects at school, Short tailored conversations to the specific interests of each class. This included elements of mythology in Virginia Derryberry’s paintings, patterns and process through David Choun’s work, and watercolor techniques used by Pat Coleman.
According to Short, the students enjoyed making connections in the pieces they were viewing to the pieces they had been working on themselves. In addition, they had a blast in the Discovery Room.
Located in the museum, the Discovery Room is stocked with arts and crafts supplies, musical instruments, dress up items, and even puppets. The goal is to create an opportunity to spark imaginations by providing all the tools needed for creative exploration. Usually used by children, the high schoolers proved that the room is perfect for all ages as they created their own music video with the objects and instruments available. The Discovery Room is free to the public (of all ages) and open during the museum’s regular business hours.
Piedmont Arts offers guided tours for local schools, homeschool groups, and other groups that may be interested in experiencing local art. Each tour is guided by the museum’s education staff who are well versed in each piece and artist on display. The tours can also be tailored to your group’s age range and interests. Tours must be scheduled 48 hours in advance and can be requested on Piedmont Arts’ website.
Piedmont Arts is located at 215 Starling Ave., Martinsville. Museum hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is free. Learn more at PiedmontArts.org.
