Students use creative flair for fine arts fundraiser

Garrett Junior High School sixth-grader Ryan Surratt decorated his personal plate with the inscription "Do not touch - this is my plate" for his school's Fine Arts Festival Fundraiser. Garrett Junior High School sixth-grader Crystal Weaver decorates a plate for her dad. Garrett Junior High School sixth-grader Alissa Clarke decorates her plate for the Fine Arts Festival Fundraiser, to be held tomorrow night. Photos / Mike Stotts/VIEW Advertisement

Give young minds a chance and they can be creative, which will be evidenced tomorrow night at Garrett Junior High School.

That's when the school will hold its Fine Arts Festival Fundraiser where more than 200 specially decorated plates will be on display for those attending the evening of music and food.

The art project was the brainchild of third-year Garrett art instructor Heather Obermiller who gave art, band, choir and orchestra members a chance to come up with their own designs on the plates.

The project was mandatory for some 140 art students, but for the others it was a voluntary decision to participate in the after-school activity.

"The kids are having a real good time," said Obermiller.

And that good spirit was seen last week when nine students showed up in Room 22 to either finish their project or pay an extra $5 to paint a second plate.

"I like that we get to be creative and do whatever we want," said 11-year-old Zayna Neill, a sixth-grader who sings alto in the choir. "I'm from Hawaii so I like to do plumerias and hibiscus."

Sarah Leedom, a clarinet player in the school band, said the project will demonstrate to parents the type of education they're getting.

"Your parents get to see what you do in school," said the 13-year-old eighth-grader. "They get to see what activities you're doing."

Ryan Surratt, 12, a sixth-grader who plays violin in the school orchestra, said, "It's fun and it gives me a chance to draw," while 12-year-old Crystal Weaver, a sixth-grader who plays one of the two flutes in the school band, said, "It's entertaining."

The early process is rather simple. The work comes at the tail end of the project when Obermiller completes the final, time-consuming step.

First, the students start out with a plate and some thermo-hardening water-based color markers that come in eight different colors and then go to town with the pens and their ingenuity.

Flowers, stick figures, whirly designs and abstract creations all come out on the plates, truly a colorful sight even before they're called a finished product.

When the plates are completed and dried, they're set aside for "firing."

"I bake them in the oven at 325-degrees for 35 minutes," said Obermiller as she described the hardening process that makes the plates microwave and dishwasher-safe. "I can do eight plates at a time in the oven."

She'll have to spend at least 15 hours at the oven to make the porcelain discs parent-ready.

Obermiller said this is the first plate-painting project the students have done.

Presumably, if it's well accepted, it won't be the last either.

Another student who showed up to unveil his creative side was Jonathan Osborne, 11, who said he also likes to do the plate painting.

"It gives me something to do and it's not boring; it's a lot of fun," said Jonathan, another one of the band's clarinet players. "My mom's going to enjoy it and like it, too."

The art exhibit tomorrow night will be held from 5 to 7:15 p.m., with the band dinner and performance at 5 p.m., the choir dinner and performance at 5:45 p.m. and the orchestra dinner and performance at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets were prepaid. No tickets will be sold at the door.