Huntsville, Ala – The Huntsville Museum of Art (HMA) will proudly present its 28th celebration of YAM 2015: Exhibition for Youth Art Month on Sunday, March 15, through April 19. Mayor Tommy Battle, Congressman Mo Brooks, Diana Green and Becky Quinn of the Alabama State Council on the Arts (ASCA), and Fran Jones with Savannah College of Art and Design will join HMA officials at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 15, for the award presentation portion of the opening day.
The exhibit will showcase nearly 200 works of art by youth in kindergarten through grade 12. Schools from the following areas will be represented: Huntsville City, Madison City, Madison County, Athens City, Limestone County, Decatur City, and Scottsboro City.
Open from 12 to 5 p.m. March 15, the Museum will observe a Community FREE Admission Day, except for the galleries housing Rembrandt, Rubens, Gainsborough and the Golden Age of Painting in Europe, which non-members must pay general admission* to view. Museum members are admitted free of charge.
In addition to the students’ works in the galleries, HMA will also present the Juried Art Teachers’ Biennial Exhibition and 17 Blue Ribbon Finalists’ artworks from the Visual Arts Achievement Program (VAA). HMA is the local VAA District V sponsor for the ASCA program. The selected VAA works by middle and high school students will be on view March 15 in the Museum Great Hall. The art will then be sent to Montgomery to be displayed alongside other regional winners’ pieces in the Artist’s Gallery at ASCA.
“Museum visitors are sure to be impressed by the fine artistic talents of the youth in North Alabama,” Christopher J. Madkour, Museum Executive Director, said. “This annual exhibit is an important reminder of the value of arts education for children and teenagers.”
On view in the Salmon Gallery from March 15−April 19 will be the winning artwork of one high school student chosen from Congressman Mo Brooks’ 5th District. Afterwards, it will be sent to Washington D.C. for a year-long display at the U.S. Capitol.
Museum Board President John Wynn, along with the Museum’s board of directors, will host a reception for visitors from 1:30-3:30 p.m. During this time, visitors will also enjoy artists’ demonstrations by several Museum Academy instructors including Rick D. Adkins (watermedia), Robert Bean (oil painting), Renee Prasil (ceramics), Linda Ruhl (watercolor painting), and Ann Moeller Steverson (oil painting).
At 2 p.m. in its Great Hall, the museum will present the awards for VAA Blue Ribbon Finalists and the Congressional Art Competition winner.
Youth Art Month is observed nationally each March to emphasize the value of art education for children and to encourage public support for quality school art programs. Major support was provided locally by Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama, Inc. and Aero Thermo Technology, Inc. Additional support was provided by the Alabama Alliance for Arts Education, the Alabama State Council on the Arts and the Women’s Guild of the Huntsville Museum of Art. Youth Art Month is also promoted and observed by the National Art Education Association and by the Huntsville-Madison County Art Education Association.
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*Admission for non-members to see Rembrandt, Rubens, Gainsborough and the Golden Age of Painting in Europe is $12 for adults; $10 for military, students (age 12 and up), teachers, and seniors (60+) with a valid ID; $5 for children age 6−11; and $8 per person for groups of 10 or more. Museum members and children 5 and under are admitted FREE.