Braintree To Celebrate Student Art With Festival

BRAINTREE, MA — For the artistic students in Braintree Public Schools, March has become a month for celebration. Art Director Heidi Hurley, with the help of the students, organized the fourth annual Braintree Art Fest.

The festival is at the Braintree Town Hall from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., on March 13, but pieces including drawings, paintings, computer generated art, sculptures, and more are on display for the entire month of March. As the only community art event in town, Hurley said this the time the community gets to celebrate the work of gifted students of all grade level.

"The most rewarding thing is when I see a whole family there looking at the artwork and appreciating what the kids do," Hurley said. "It's a really awesome opportunity for them to shine. When I see a mom and grandmother standing in front of a kindergarten picture, it's so nice to see that this is a moment for them to shine."

For many high school students, this is an opportunity for them to showcase their work and be proud of it. Several seniors that have been accepted to art schools have their pieces on display, Hurley said. Music is also celebrated as the school jazz and blue grass bands are scheduled to perform.

"We have some very talented students that get to show what they do in a send off," Hurley said.

Most importantly, the kids also have a lot of fun. For the younger kids, the festival is a chance for them to see the art the high school students created. While for the high school students, they get to see their old teachers.

Because of the snow, Hurley and the students are still working to get up all the displays, but she expects over 1,000 pieces to be there. Anyone who wants to see the exhibits before the event can visit the town hall during business hours all month.