West Essex High School Art Club Wins Award for Pumpkin Display

The 25 pumpkins carved by the West Essex High School Art Club for the Gardens Aglow event at the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens on Montclair Friday night made such a beautiful display that judges honored them with the award for "Best Botanical Display."

The Art Club will receive a $150 gift certificate to Jerry's Artist Outlet in West Orange, which can be used to purchase art supplies and materials for the school.

"We hope that students, parents and faculty had a chance to stop by and see the pumpkins in their illuminated glory, but if not, know that they looked great," said Lynn Berger, vice president of the Citizens Committee of the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens of Montclair, Inc. "Furthermore, there was a large turnout for the event and your pumpkins were seen by hundreds of people who enjoyed their artistry. You helped make Gardens Aglow a great event and we are so grateful for your enthusiastic participation."

Berger also thanked Art Teacher and Art Club Advisor Eileen Dormer and the Art Club students "for all of your creativity and hard work. I hope you all feel very proud of this accomplishment."

Dormer spent Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon after school last week working with students to carve pumpkins with creative fruit and vegetables for the annual Gardens Aglow event. Students from high schools all over Essex County carved pumpkins for the event which celebrates Halloween and the remontant iris, a special variety of iris that blooms first in the spring and then in the fall.

“We had some very stiff competition among the other Essex County high schools, so it was pretty cool to win for our theme,” Dormer said after learning the news. “I enjoyed standing around and listening to the comments of all of the children and parents as they looked at all of the carvings. It was a perfect fall evening and I hope we can do it all again next year.”

Pumpkin carver Grace Barretti created a raspberry pumpkin for the event. “It is great to get recognition for the arts here at West Essex,” she said. “I am proud of us.”

Grace and other art club students were hard at work Wednesday afternoon carving everything from garlic to pineapple to strawberries into the pumpkins. Dormer said the students first had to prepare the pumpkins for carving by cleaning them inside and out with a bleach solution. Then they carved their designs and covered the carving area with petroleum jelly to help preserve the pumpkins.

"We had to get it all done in 48 hours," Dormer said, adding "it was quite a challenge."

As Dormer surveyed all of the students' hard work, she smiled. "Given all of the (time) constraints, I think the students did a terrific job!"

Art club member Kimberly Iannarone said she enjoyed the project. "I love Halloween and I love pumpkins," she said. "I like being creative in a different way and showing it through pumpkins."

Some students carved their own designs into pumpkins, while others worked together, taking turns creating botanical designs. In the end, Dormer and students packed the pumpkins into boxes for the Essex County Parks Department to transport to the gardens for the event.