The John Natsoulas Gallery is proud to host the exhibition of artworks by students from the nearby Fairfield School in our front entrance gallery. These students will share their creations from throughout the school year in this unique exhibit!
Please join us for the reception, which coincides with the Downtown Davis 2nd Friday ArtAbout on March 13 from 5-7pm.
The Fairfield School holds a unique place in local history as the oldest school in Davis, established in 1866, even predating the town of Davisville by two years. Our two-room country schoolhouse has so many stories to tell, and our 48 students are reminded of this history every day. To further historic connections, this year our students have explored art history to parallel this idea—how art, too, tells stories across time, and how human emotion remains a shared and relatable theme.
Think back to 1866, the year our school began. The art world was changing fast, just as America was changing. While some artists painted very realistic pictures of nature, others were starting to break the rules, using bright colors and blurry lines to capture a feeling or a moment in time. They used art to show how they saw the world and what they felt inside, even when others didn't understand them right away
From Van Gogh's Stars to Our Own
Today, our learning environment is all about encouraging creativity and individual expression by way of understanding artists throughout our history that have left marks and brushstrokes on our world. The Fairfield School teaching team: Mrs. Lili Beechinor, Ms. Cate Dayan, and Ms. Megan Wilkinson have used art history as a colorful springboard for their student’s own self-discovery.
Throughout the year, students have been introduced to a diverse range of artists whose unique voices have shaped history: The swirling, emotional skies of Vincent Van Gogh, The endless dots and pumpkins of Yayoi Kusama, The vibrant, pop-art fun of Andy Warhol and Romero Britto, The deep, expressive feelings in the works of Edvard Munch, Gustav Klimt, Klee, and Picasso and many more!
By studying these artists, children learn that art isn't just about making something look pretty; it's about sharing a part of themselves, leaving their own mark on the world. Just like the famous artists we study, our students are encouraged to use art to express big emotions, share feelings, and develop important skills for understanding themselves and others.
The works displayed here represent not only artistic development, but the unique voice of each child, a vibrant expression of their inner world. These pieces show how our students have learned to let their own unique "walls" talk.
Curated by art teacher: Cate Dayan