The collective artwork of 219 sixth grade students attending Dayton Avenue and Eastport elementary schools is being displayed in the 2025 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Fine Arts and Essay Exhibition sponsored by the New York State Education Department. Inspired by Dr. King’s legacy, the artwork is one of 1,000 pieces now being exhibited from 2,208 submissions from 67 public and private schools across New York State. The exhibit can be viewed online at www.empirestateplaza.ny.gov/nyking.
Measuring four feet tall and eight feet wide, the acrylic painting was a collaborative process. Under the direction of art teacher Jamie Walsh, each student was given a small piece of a photograph of Dr. King to work from. During the process, students learned to mix tints and shades and learned blending techniques to recreate the portion of their photograph.
“At the time of the painting, the students did not know what the final image would look like,” Ms. Walsh said.“Upon completionthe students were excited to see the painting was a portrait of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., which led to additional discussions about who the civil rights leader was and his impact on oursociety.”
The finished creation is also being displayed for a few weeks in each of the elementary school buildings as a visual reminder of Dr. King’s principles of peace and the incredible talent of the district’s young artists.
Date Added: 1/14/2025