County office recognizes art of Saratoga students
Argonaut, Foothill art on display
By Leigh Ann Maze
This month, six Foothill School students and 10 Argonaut School students were among the 93 chosen from 18 schools in the county to have their artwork added to the permanent collection at the Santa Clara County Office of Education building.
When the Office of Education moved into the three-story Dataquest building four years ago, the walls of the corporate facility were bare. The Office of Education staff decided that decorating with student art would best represent public education, so they held their first countywide student art competition, according to Colleen Wilcox, county superintendent of schools. Four years later, the Office of Education's collection of student art has grown to 431 pieces, all of which are displayed throughout its many hallways and conference rooms.
"I enjoy watching people lost in the corridors, not really caring that they're lost because they are enjoying all of the student artwork," Wilcox said. She said some 60,000 people visit the large Office of Education building each year.
"It's a way for us to recognize talented students, and it helps us remember the importance of the arts in a well-rounded education," said Kathy Hope, Office of Education staff development coordinator and the organizer of this year's event.
Office of Education employees held a reception for the young artists on Nov. 3. The children participated in art projects and toured the newly displayed pieces with teachers and parents. Wilcox acknowledged the children with certificates, and praised "the many parents and teachers who have fostered and encouraged creativity in the students."
Kate Cochran, deputy director of Cultural Initiatives Silicon Valley, a nonprofit group that advocates putting art back into the core curriculum, also commended the students and their art.
Students from throughout the county submitted their artwork to a panel of seven judges from the city of San Jose's Office of Cultural Affairs, Adobe Systems, Inc., the Office of Education, the San Jose Museum of Art, the Silicon Valley Institute of Art and Technology and the Arts Council Silicon Valley. The panel selected the winning pieces based on creativity, originality, design, emotion and overall impression.
"The pieces are just so extraordinary," said Wilcox, noting the incredible technical skill shown by the older youngsters, and the varying emotions such as sadness, joy and freedom expressed in the art.
Many of the winning entries from Saratoga schools were self-portraits the children created with an art teacher hired by the Saratoga Education Foundation last year, according to district superintendent Mary Gardner. The foundation is a parent and community foundation that supports arts, technology, science and libraries through donations and grants. The Office of Education's growing collection of student art also includes oil paintings, ceramics, a collection of masks, sketches, watercolors, pen and ink and pastel creations.
"It really acknowledges the importance of arts in the schools and demonstrates the commitment by some school districts to maintain arts through grants and docents," Gardner said.
Young artists at Foothill School, whose art is now in the permanent collection, are Kelly Burke, Andrew Chen, Kelsey Hall, Sara Lewis, Sonnet Sparacino and Khy-Lin Woodrow. Argonaut artists are Christopher Chiou, Gabriella Lopez, Jessica Lu, Alex Liu, Ryan Palmer, Bebo Ruiz, Katie Stevens, Ryan Stoffers, Anastasia Yee and Jessie Young.
Saratoga, California Since 1955
