A group of Junction City's most talented young artists visited Generations Bank on Wednesday for a tour and to celebrate their work's new prominent display in the lobby.
The project, called "Another View of Me," was the result of a collaboration between Junction City Elementary School 5th and 6th grade elementary students, along with their teacher Teresa Brady, with Art in Education (AIE) artist Lisa Tarver.
AIE is a grant-funded program through the Arkansas Arts Council and the South Arkansas Arts Center that places working artists in classrooms or within organizations to develop programs for students.
On Wednesday, Tarver -- who works in classrooms in El Dorado and Junction City as an AIE artist -- said she began the project by taking black-and-white portraits of each participating students.
Students were then able to use oil pastels to creatively enhance the portraits in whatever ways they saw fit.
"Some did more, some did less -- some got really creative. The project combines art with photography. They enjoyed it; they got a chance to work with oil pastels, which I think is a new experience to some of them. They were also really excited about [the display in] the bank, for their work to be somewhere where people will see it," Tarver said.
Tarver said she sees AIE as a valuable opportunity not just to enhance the artistic interests of students, but to strengthen their education as a whole.
"The talent of these young people is amazing. It's not just about creating art -- it's also an outlet for creativity, and for stress... It lends itself to other things in life," she said.
The students' works are displayed throughout the lobby at the bank in downtown Junction City, with some on pedestals and tables in the middle of the lobby and others adorning the lobby walls.
Gifted and Talented teacher Teresa Brady further detailed the creative process of the project.
"They were excited to express themselves. We didn't give them directions, just told them to look and express themselves. They went in all directions - some enhanced their natural features, others went more abstract," Brady said.
She went on to praise the AIE program.
"The kids love working with Lisa, they love having someone different come in and work with them," Brady continued.
SAAC Director Laura Allen was also present Wednesday to check out the new display and took the opportunity to emphasize the mission and purpose of AIE.
"The AIE program has been active since 1982. It's a longstanding program, there are kids in it whose parents had AIE residencies. We want every kid in the area to meet and know a working artist and let them see what art can bring to other projects," Allen said.
The art work will remain on display in the bank for around two weeks.
Student Lillian Whitlock stands beside her enhanced portrait. Whitlock’s work is one of several in the "Another View of Me" project displayed currently at Generations Bank in Junction City.