Now throughout the month of April, Galleria Valencia at Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts will featuring select work from Jefferson Elementary and Goodview Elementary K-4 art classes, taught by Jeff Morgan.
Jeff Morgan is a K-12 art educator and artist who has taught all levels of public school and post-secondary students, having begun his tenure in 1998 for Winona Area Public Schools. This April exhibit is an extension of Youth Art Month, featuring the work of Kindergarten through Fourth grade at Goodview Elementary and Jefferson Elementary schools where Mr. Morgan currently teaches. For half a dozen years now, showing at Galleria Valencia has provided Mr. Morgan’s students the chance to double student work featured in Winona throughout March and April. Students who have never seen their art shown in public or received recognition for their academic achievements can view their work along with other distinguished young artists in a setting that is friendly while offering expansive opportunities for young people.
As for the art on display, it is the culmination of applied learning of art skills and knowledge, based on Minnesota Academic standards in the visual arts. Mr. Morgan has seen incredible growth in his K-4 art classes, offering evidence that art engages and makes connections within the participant’s whole brain as well as developing hand-eye skills, extended vocabulary, task management skills, perceptual awareness and synthesis as well as an increased appreciation for the expressive contributions of other human beings. More than that, art “washes away from the soul the dust of every day life”, according to 20th century artist Pablo Picasso. Students enjoy a wide variety of 2-D and 3-D art experiences in Mr. Morgan’s classes and he is proud to offer a small sample of their accomplishments in this exhibit. Far from echoing an teacher example, each student’s work is the result of inquiry learning, with a wide variety of solutions and personal expression. Students are encouraged to make visual art choices and process the results. Mr. Morgan finds that it is more often the norm than the exception that student work surpasses the examples and working methods that he provides. Teaching becomes more enriching for all when students have a chance to teach the teacher. Feel free to leave a comment, offer further lesson ideas and contact Mr. Morgan at jeffrey.morgan@winona.k12.mn.us with any questions or suggestions concerning this exhibit.