“If art doesn’t make us better, then what on earth is it for?” – Alice Walker
Earlier in the year, I referenced the book Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Rose. It is a great read if you enjoy brain science, but the last couple of weeks have showcased how transformative art can be within our community. In less than two months, our visual arts teachers put together two art shows showcasing all of our students’ visual arts (Lower School at Riverviews Artspace and Middle School at the Warehouse Theater at the Academy Center of the Arts). Last week, our middle school musicians participated in Kings Dominion’s Festival of Music, earning superior ratings for all three ensembles. This week, we have the kindergarten and first-grade play followed by the middle school musical, The Wizard of Oz, which opens tomorrow night in the Garmey Theater at VES. Plus, we have more in store before the end of the school year.
Art is integral in all we do here at James River Day School, and I cannot be more proud of our students or more grateful to our faculty who facilitate these endeavors. But, art is not something we do for one event or one month of the year. If you have been in the building recently, you might be awestruck by the amount of art gracing our hallways! It is one part of what helps create such a joyful community, but it is also invaluable to the development of young brains.
I look forward to seeing many of you at the opening of The Wizard of Oz and next week at our All-School Community Meeting (Tuesday, May 14, 5:30 p.m.).
Let’s Fly!
Jenn