Elementary students in the Decatur County gifted program, also known as “QUEST,” participated in “Art in the Park” in downtown Bainbridge on Friday, Sep. 27th. This unique experience began at the Firehouse Gallery where students took a tour of the art collection on display, “Art Through the Ages,” where local art and history expert, Mrs. Lucas, discussed the materials used, artistic style, content, and technique. Additionally, she took students on a building tour of the gallery and discussed historical facts on the distinctive aspects of the facility including the vault, old jail, and bell tower. Next, students walked to the square where Mrs. Tiffany Maxwell, the art instructor at Hutto Middle School, guided students in creating their own watercolor paintings inspired by the beauty of Willis Park.
Mrs. Deal, the gifted coordinator for the school system, stated that art funding is extremely limited. Oftentimes art teachers reach into their own pockets to fund their classrooms and projects and/or set up GoFundMe accounts as Mrs. Maxwell has done (Visit GoFundMe Page), so they can acquire the necessary supplies. Mrs. Deal shared that “creativity is a vital element to a gifted program, and we want our students to appreciate the power of art and possibly even be inspired to pursue a career or secondary career in the arts.” The elementary QUEST students and Mrs. Deal would like to thank the Decatur County school system, Mrs. Tiffany Maxwell, and the Firehouse Art Gallery for making the QUEST “Art in the Park” a memorable event that promotes creativity with our gifted students and the community!
