Art Springs Forth at School Festival

Headdresses and dreamscapes. Teenagers in a box.

Throw in relationships and a nod to great artists and you’ve got the five themes presented in the visual portion of the Spring Fine Arts Festival at Swampscott High School.

The festival was Thursday and included band and chorus performances.

Before the music started, parents and their children roamed the high school foyer/gallery.

Sculpted dragons stood their ground on tables and paintings papered the walls.

Sophomore Emma Walsh admired a whimsical pen and ink drawing by Nolan Surette.

She pointed to the hair spiraling on one figure’s head.

“And his hair is cool, it’s really detailed,” she said.

Swampscott High graduate Cailah Moschella came to the show with her mom, younger sister and brother.

They came to hear the third Moschella sister, Brianna, a senior, sing with the school chorus. First the family toured the art display.

“I like to see what the students are doing,” she said.

Students Melodie Wilson and Robert Brooks like to see what their classmates are doing, as well.

Robert said Laura Legere’s paintings reminded him of Madonna’s video Human Nature.

Melodie said she especially liked Nolan Surrette’s work.

“He is such a wonderful inspiration and he is the nicest guy,” she said.

Art teacher Reeva Oppenheim said the show included the works of about 160 Swampscott High School students.

The selections included beginner and advanced works.

The school hosts a fine arts festival in the spring and the fall.

Principal Layne Millington was among the art viewers in the foyer.

He said the art program gives kids an avenue to self expression. For some students it is art not academics or sports that is their main interest at school. 

“We have this: kids producing high quality art,” he said.

One of his favorites at the show was a piece of sculpture, a penguin.