GLEN JEAN, WV (WOAY) — A new exhibit opens tomorrow at Tamarack, featuring the artwork of local students who participated in the Youth Arts in the Parks (YAP) 2021 Appalachian Spring Wildflower Art Contest.
Local students used art to learn about regional ecology and to celebrate the arrival of spring in the Appalachians in this annual contest open to all students in grades K – 12 from Fayette, Nicholas, Raleigh, and Summers counties. Students learned about regional wildflowers and Appalachian ecology while they created art using paint, pastels, pencils, and more.
The creativity and talents of local students yielded amazing works of art, with 83 participants this year. The top 41 juried pieces are now showcased at Tamarack in Beckley through May 3, 2021. The works of these featured youth artists are on exhibit in the lobby of the Hulett C. Smith Theater. This year’s exhibit will feature handmade wildflower art plus wildlife art created on computers. Tamarack is open 10:00 am to 6:00 pm (closed Tuesdays and April 4). See this exhibit online starting April 2 at www.nps.gov/neri/youth-arts-in-the-parks.htm.
This year’s five Best in Show pieces will be announced at a special Facebook Live broadcast on April 15. These top pieces will be displayed alongside adult artwork and be for public sale in the Metamorphosis spring gallery show that runs April 17- June 13 in Tamarack’s David L. Dickirson Fine Art Gallery.
Spring Nature Festival: This Youth Arts in the Parks contest is part of a spring 2021 nature event celebrating southern West Virginia’s diverse ecology. New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, Tamarack, and several West Virginia State Parks partner to host this public event in April and May. The 2021 spring festivities are currently in development and will feature new programs, along with fun tips to help each of us discover more about nature while in the outdoors and online. Coordinators will announce event details as this celebration draws near. www.nps.gov/neri
