Exhibition opens March 8 in the Fourth Floor Gallery at the Portland Museum of Art

Mon, 02/24/2014 - 02:29 pm

Jackson Lorrain's chalk pastel, "Picasso Portrait," was selected for the Youth Art Show at the Portland Museum of Art. He is a third grade student at Boothbay Region Elementary School. Courtesy of Portland Museum of Art

Mackenzie Hicks' tempra work, "Starving for Skinny," was selected for inclusion in the Youth Art Show at the Portland Museum of Art. She is a freshman at Boothbay Region High. Courtesy of Portland Museum of Art

Ally Lambert's "Untitled," a digital photograph, is one of the three entries by students in Lincoln County in the Youth Art Show at the Portland Museum of Art. Lambert is a senior at Wiscasset High School. Courtesy of Portland Museum of Art

In celebration of National Youth Art Month during the month of March, the Portland Museum of Art (PMA), in collaboration with the Maine Art Education Association, has organized an exhibition of artwork created by Maine art students. The PMA’s exhibition, on view from March 8 through April 6, will showcase more than 100 works of art by students throughout the state, grades K-12.

All participating students will receive certificates of recognition as part of an exhilarating (free) exhibition celebration at the PMA on Saturday, March 8 from 4 to 7:30 p.m. in the Bernard Osher Foundation Auditorium and Fourth Floor Gallery.

The only three students from Lincoln County in the exhibit are Jackson Lorrain of Boothbay Region Elementary School, Mackenzie Hicks of Boothbay Region High School, and Ally Lambert of Wiscasset High School.

The recognition certificate presentations will be as follows (taken from PMA website):

4:30 p.m. grades K-3, certificate presentation in the Auditorium with gallery viewing from 4 to 5 p.m.
5:30 p.m. grades 4-6, certificate presentation in the Auditorium with gallery viewing from 5 to 6 p.m.
6:30 p.m. grades 7-12, certificate presentation in the Auditorium with gallery viewing from 6 to 7 p.m.

This year celebrates the 34th anniversary of Youth Art Month exhibitions in Maine and the 20th annual exhibition at the museum.

National Youth Art Month is an annual observance each March to emphasize the value of art education and to encourage public support for quality school art programs. Art education provides students with important critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, in addition to fostering self-esteem, self-discipline, and an appreciation for the work of others. The Youth Art Month exhibition celebrates and validates student achievement in the visual arts, and the Portland Museum of Art is proud to honor the talent and dedication of these young artists and their teachers. Youth Art Month has been observed nationally since 1961, and on the state level, sponsored by the Maine Art Education Association since 1980.

The Portland Museum of Art (PMA), Maine’s premier art museum, showcases fine and decorative arts from the 18th century to the present. From Winslow Homer and Andrew Wyeth to Pablo Picasso and Claude Monet, the PMA features three centuries of art and architecture.

The museum is located at Seven Congress Square in downtown Portland. Hours are: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday. Memorial Day through Columbus Day, the PMA is open on Mondays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and students with I.D., $6/youth (13 to 17); children 12 and under are free. Admission is free on Friday evenings from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Special exhibition fees may apply.

For more information, call 207-775-6148 or visit www.portlandmuseum.org.