All-School Arts Show: Make Your Mark

Each spring, Penn Charter's Art Show transforms the Kurtz Center lobby into a gallery showcasing student work from every division—pre-K through 12th grade—spanning painting, sculpture, fabric work, graphic design, photography, ceramics and more.

The Visual Arts and Design Department faculty chooses the show's theme together each year. "We start with a brainstorming session, discuss our ideas and share what resonates with each of us," said department chair Joy Lai. This year's theme, "Make Your Mark," highlighted how art leaves a lasting impression on both viewer and artist.

Lower School students contributed weavings, clay work, wood sculptures, paintings, prints and drawings. "They beam with pride seeing their work in this more formal setting," said Lower School art teacher Karen Riedlmeier. Middle schoolers explored painting, clay work, collage and perspective drawing, embracing what Middle School art teacher Jennifer Chernak called the freedom of "learning through process"—including both setbacks and creative surprises.

In the Upper School, preparing for the show is part of the curriculum: students select their pieces, write artist statements, and help mat, frame and hang their work. In Eva Kay Noone's Advanced Costume Design class, students research a historical era and design a mask and full costume for a character—this year drawing on Italian Commedia Dell'Arte.

The show also featured work from eight OPC photographers spanning multiple decades, including Griffin Lipson OPC '12, who has photographed celebrities like Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep, and Keith Helmetag OPC '71, whose award-winning installations appear at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum and Yankee Stadium.

"The show is an extension of what it means to be in an artistic community," Lai said. "Our hope is that our viewers will be impressed by the breadth of our program, awed by the creativity of our students and inspired to make their own art."