Students at Oxford Early Learning Center (OELC) hosted an Art show at the Oxford Public Library on April 10. The library was packed full of OELC students and their families viewing the artwork that they had created.

According to Oxford Community Schools Communication Specialist Chloe Bachman, earlier in the year, Kim Burean, Head of Youth Services at Oxford Public Library, and Ann Robb, Director of OELC, had a meeting discussing ways they could collaborate.

“At OELC, it is very important to try and have families involved and see what their children are learning about while in school,” she said.

OELC offers at least three family-centered events each year, she said. An art show committee was created to plan the event consisting of teachers Kelly Lee, Cindy Malinowski, Jaimee McDonald, and Infant/Toddler Coordinator, Pat Brauer.

Each class at OELC picked an artist they wanted to focus on and what art medium (clay, paint, watercolor, etc.) they would use. Teachers then planned lessons focused on their specific artist that they had chosen. Lessons included looking at multiple pieces of the artist’s art and they discussed what mediums they had used.

“While the kids worked on their own art pieces, the teachers had displayed their chosen artist’s artwork, for the kids to look at while they created their own representations of the chosen artist’s masterpieces,” she said.

At the art show, every child’s art was on display for their family and friends to look at, as well as other local artists who showcased their work.

Oxford High School Alumni Jordan Hung assisted at the art show. Hung is currently at Oakland University studying Education to become an Art teacher. While guests strolled through the library, OHS Senior Katherine Lewis played herviolin to add to the art show ambiance.

Each class at OELC collaborated to create a piece of artwork which represented every student in their class in some way like handprints and fingerprints. They held a silent auction for these collaborative pieces and the money collected will be used for events for the children in the entire OELC program.