The Colors of Creativity Lakota Art Showcase was unveiled in the Fitton at the Foundry studio at Liberty Center on Saturday, March 15. For the next 26 days, anyone visiting the mall would have a hard time missing the over 300 various forms of student-created art lining the walls of the first floor of the Foundry.

“Even when we were putting it up, there were people stopping and watching,” said East photography teacher Jay Hunsche. “It was really satisfying to have [the showcase] in such a public place.”

The artists include students from elementary, middle, and high schools across the Lakota district. This showcase was organized to display the young artists enrolled in the various art classes offered throughout Lakota.

“Throughout the student body there’s a lot of hard work,” Hunsche told Spark. “Hopefully the community sees that it’s important that the arts are showcased.”

East Senior Emme Nguyen had her art featured in the showcase. She reflects on the importance of art in an educational setting, and how this display could draw in more attention to the various talents of the many students in Lakota.

“I heard from the art teachers that they’re not funding art as much,” Nguyen told Spark. “I hope that the people who decide the budgets for our supplies put more funding into it, because art is really important.”

Nguyen thinks displays such as Colors of Creativity are important for bringing visibility to the arts, especially in schools, and how the showcase can benefit students by bringing their work into the eye of the public.

“Art shows are for showcasing what you’ve done,” said Nguyen. “If you don’t showcase it, did you ever really make it?”

Some students, such as East senior Roa Alhalabieh, submitted their work to the show in hopes of spreading a meaningful message.

“My piece of art was about Palestine,” Alhalabieh told Spark. “It shows how we are connected to the land and how we’re protecting it with our blood.”

Alhalabieh believes that art can be a more useful outlet when trying to convey a deeper meaning on social issues or world problems.

“I chose this piece for the showcase so that more people would see art about Palestine,” said Alhalabieh. “Art is better to express hidden meanings, because the media isn’t showing what’s truly happening in Palestine.”