Each March, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo features rodeo action, livestock competitions, concerts, a carnival and more, including a student rodeo art show at its Hayloft Gallery. This year is no exception, with Spring Branch ISD (SBISD) student artists having a strong showing in the HLSR School Art Show.
Community members have an opportunity to get into the rodeo spirit now through Feb. 19 by visiting the Altharetta Yeargin Art Museum to view the SBISD Rodeo Art Showcase. The exhibit features the best-of-the-best rodeo-themed student artwork from across the district.
From approximately 500 paintings, drawings, photographs and sculptures submitted by SBISD fine arts teachers for consideration, the district’s fine arts coordinator selected 45 pieces to advance to the HLSR School Art judging committee.
Meeting the Criteria
From the thousands of artworks submitted by schools across the Houston area, HLSR judges select pieces that exemplify their definition of Western art: art that depicts the heritage, lifestyle and landscapes of the West, both historical and present day.
While judging is subjective, the committee uses a rubric that includes:
Originality
Marketability
Creativity
Technical skill
Excellence in drawing
Exceptionally Strong
“The committee complimented SBISD on the strength of the pieces we submitted for judging,” said Lindsay Ripley, SBISD coordinator of fine arts.
This year, 24 SBISD student artworks were selected for display during the March HLSR School Art Show at the Hayloft Gallery. Additional judging will determine which of these pieces will be eligible for auction during the rodeo.
SBISD students earned three Best of Show awards, four Gold Medal awards and 17 Special Merit awards.
Come Support Our Western Art Creators
Visitors to the SBISD Rodeo Art Showcase can expect to see a range of styles, from photorealistic works, traditionally favored by School Art judges, to more abstract pieces that explore creative new approaches to Western art. This year, the HLSR committee encouraged schools to showcase a broader range of artistic interpretations.
“We have very high standards for how student artwork is displayed in the museum,” Ripley said. “We want our student artists to feel proud of how their work is presented to the public and to their families.”
Visitors also have the opportunity to write notes of appreciation or encouragement to participating student artists.
“After the show concludes, I will send the notes to the art teachers so students have tangible evidence that their artwork was seen and appreciated,” Ripley said.
The SBISD Rodeo Art Showcase is on display at the Alpharetta Yeargin Art Museum (AYAM) located on the north side of the Westchester Academy for International Studies (WAIS) campus, 901 Yorkchester Drive. The museum is open to the public on school days from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. All visitors must present an ID to enter the museum.
For more information about SBISD Performing and Visual Arts, click here.