Hundreds came out in support of the arts in Dresden on Saturday night. They were treated to an evening focused on the senses as 196 student-produced art pieces lined the walls of the Weakley County Personal Development Center, students served light fare, and students provided the musical backdrop.
The inaugural Weakley County Art Show was curated by the Gleason Fine Arts Club and they, with advisor Jason Stephens, served as hosts for the evening. The FCCLAs of Westview and Gleason catered the affair under the direction of advisors Angie Rushing and Sandy Bennett.
Destin McKeel and Allison Zelaski, students of Weakley Arts Can member Beth Ostenson, provided the music for the evening.
Gleason Fine Arts Club members include Alyssa Wade, Katie Freeman, Zanda Tipton, Libby Smith, Lily Shannon, Michelle Stegall, Cheyenne McKeithan, Gracie Long, and Amber Parker.
Gleason FCCLA members who assisted with the event are Haley Clark, Keely Spain, Belle Fowler, Aliyah Rosa, Brayden Morris, and Kiley Corbin.
Forty students from Rushing’s nutrition classes helped with preparing the “light bites” of cookies, chocolate-covered pretzels, mini strawberry cheesecake bites, meatballs, and pinwheels before the event. Bennett’s chicken salad cups were also enjoyed. Westview’s Kayle Hensley and Austin Dennison also helped serve the food and punch during the evening’s festivities.
Libby Smith and Lily Shannon welcomed the crowd which included county dignitaries, principals, arts teachers and many beaming family members. They also thanked judges David McBeth of UTM, Beth Cravens and Sabrina Bates of the Weakley County Press and artist Cara Zarecor.
Before revealing the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners by age group and category, Gleason Fine Arts Club advisor Jason Stephens explained the judging criteria -- creativity, technique, skill, and overall presentation – to the overflow crowd and commended both the artists and the support shown by the community.
“I am thrilled to see the attendance here tonight and for these art students to see they do have a voice and we are listening,” he noted. “And this is just the beginning.”
Sponsors for the show are Weakley Arts Can, Discovery Park of America, UTM Music, Monograms and More in Martin, and Beth Scates and Four Corners in Greenfield.
Among the other arts activities receiving attention in the exhibit space were the artwork from the latest NWTN Local Food Network's Harvest of the Month Calendar, a chance for students to sign up for the Iris Festival art contest, and promotion of next weekend’s Weakley Playhouse production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, another countywide effort including students from all the high schools in the county.
School director Randy Frazier praised the work on the walls and the work behind the scenes.
“It was an excellent inaugural art show that showcased the talent we have in our school system,” he said. “I am impressed with the hard work of all of our staff and our students to make such a big event happen.”
The show will remain at the Weakley County Personal Development Center at 8250 Hwy. 22, Dresden until March 16. The Center is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday. The public is invited to stop by and see the 196 entries including the 1st-3rd place winning artistic expressions.
All entries will be returned to the students at the close of the show, however, if a local business would like to feature a portion of the winning entries at their place of business for the remainder of March, please call Karen Campbell at 832-523-7469.