Family Art Night - "Art is out of this world!"

 

It was all about outer space on Tuesday night in Exeter.  The galaxy was recreated in all kinds of mediums during the annual Art Night event in the Exeter gym as their theme was “Art is out of this world.”

Art teacher Lisa Kanode introduced the event in 2015 and it has grown in attendance each year since.  Kanode explained, “Family art night is a special event that many can benefit from.  Starting with the volunteers and helpers as they get an opportunity to teach and interact with kids.  Families benefit as they have the opportunity to spend quality time with their kiddos in an unique way.”

The event not only introduces different art mediums to the younger students, but it also gives the 6^th -12^th graders enrolled in Kanode’s art classes the chance to interact and teach.  The art students are vital in planning and designing each station for the event.

This year, according to Kanode, the most popular stations were, “Galaxy Playdough, Face paint, the constellation dark room, and painting rocks were all the most popular, while the rocket ships, UFOs and shooting star projects took some of the votes, too.”

There were eight stations set up around the gym for families to rotate through.  The attendees could create playdough with glitter glue or paint mixed in to give it a starry quality, the could use glow in the dark paint to copy a constellation and then take it into the “dark booth” and see the stars glow. 

Using a variety of craft supplies families could create aliens on a stick and paint rocks.  Toilet paper tubes and half of a plastic egg were transformed into rocket ships by some of the attendees. Of course, many of those in attendance loved getting their face painted.  Some with glow in the dark paint that they could see in the dark booth.

Most of the supplies used were from the art department and donations.  The Exeter-Milligan Booster club donated some of the special supplies for the glow in the dark booths.

All the family is encouraged to attend and this gives the students running each booth the opportunity to interact with all ages. Kanode noted, “The younger kids love it and look forward to it every year.  I have also talked to a few parents that express how nice it is to have an event that all ages can be a part of and the kids can express themselves creatively.  The 6th graders enjoy being big enough to help and the High School kids that are considering education or working with kids as a profession get a good hands on experience doing just that.  I also tell them to use the time as volunteer work on their applications and resumes.”

Kanode enjoys seeing the interaction between both the students and the art students along with the parents, “I love to see the kids get excited about creating and the families getting together to do something fun and relaxing together.  My whole family jumps in to help and it is just a good feeling seeing all the happy faces.  Those in attendance Thursday evening would vouch for the smiles on their faces from another fantastic family art night.”