NAHANT — The public library has decided to spotlight future artists at Johnson Elementary School, who displayed their work at the library for the Youth Art Month (YAM) exhibit.
The event went from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, and Library Director Nori Morganstein said the whole community was invited to come down and enjoy the art. “We had probably about a hundred people show up throughout the night, and everyone had such a great time looking at the kids’ art and getting to see the kids shine,” Morganstein said.
Morgainstein said the library was filled with community members who eagerly poured through the doors as they rallied to celebrate the kids’ art displays, enjoy some refreshments and support local art.
Opened to the public originally on Feb. 27, the exhibition will run until March 27 and will be available to the public during the library’s regular hours of operation. YAM is a nationally-celebrated event each March, highlighting the importance of visual art education in fostering creativity in youth.
“Art gives students a way to express themselves and share their thoughts without needing words; it’s that moment where they can really connect with who they are,” Laura Petrovich-Cheney, an art teacher at Johnson Elementary, said in a press release.
“We had so many people come in the library to check out all the artwork,” Morganstein said. “It was really heart-warming to see all the kids celebrated and having a great time displaying their work.”
During the exhibit, residents got the rare chance to see the unveiling of Johnson Elementary School’s new mascot — the Blue Lobster — drawn by fifth-grade student Mary DiLisio, which took center stage at the exhibit. It was a collaborative effort between Superintendent of Schools Rob Liebow, Johnson Elementary School, and Nahant native and lobsterman Tucker Allard.
