OLD LYME — Lyme Academy of Fine Arts is launching a new online gallery with an inaugural exhibition titled “Art Is … Elementary. Selected Works by the Fine Artists of Lyme Consolidated School, Lyme.” The exhibition will be open for viewing Friday, June 5.
Lyme Academy has hosted the Lyme-Old Lyme Schools K-12 “Youth Art Show” in the Sill House Gallery for more than 30 years. This year, which would have been the 35th annual show, had to be cancelled since all schools in Connecticut were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic,
The revitalized Academy has been expanding into the online arena in recent months offering both lessons and demonstrations. “An online gallery therefore seemed the next logical step,” explains Kimberly Monson, Instructor and Programming Director at Lyme Academy, adding, “It’s a way to offer our community a means to share art.”
Asked how this particular show featuring student artists from grades K-5 at Lyme Consolidated School came about, Monson says, “It felt like these kids were experiencing a lot of loss. It’s hard enough for them to be away from school, their teachers and their friends, but then to have all of the extra-curricular activities cancelled as well, that’s an awful lot to take away” Lyme Consolidated School art teacher, Jennifer Pitman adds,“The pandemic has cost us so many of our cherished traditions. I’m really glad that this is one tradition we’ve been able to uphold.”
Monson went on to explain, “Jen [Pitman] and I felt this was something we could give back to the kids. It’s a way to celebrate them with an exhibition, which is still hosted by Lyme Academy.”
Pitman credits Monson with really making the show happen, noting, ““I’m really grateful for Kimberly’s support. Showing our students’ art on the Lyme Academy’s new Online Gallery is a real treat. It’s exciting for the kids to be able to see their work displayed by such a prestigious institution. And she provided a big assist by putting the exhibition together.” Monson was well-suited to serving as a catalyst for the show since, in addition to her employment at Lyme Academy, she is also a professional, working artist.
Pitman concludes, “The annual Youth Art Show is a real highlight for me. I hope all of the students and their families will enjoy seeing the results of their hard work in this new way. I’m so proud of their growth as young artists.”
View the exhibition at this link.