1,000 pieces of artwork grace Frank Elementary festival

Kindergarten students preform together for family and friends.

More than 1,000 pieces of artwork and four different musical performances were presented by Frank Elementary students Wednesday night at the Frank Arts Festival.

Parents, grandparents, and other members of the community had the opportunity to view the students' artwork which was on display throughout the Perrysburg school. Musical selections were performed in the cafeteria. 

"We are so proud of their accomplishments," said Andrea Coulson, the school's music teacher. "It is great to provide this opportunity to students. It is fantastic guiding them through learning these things."

PHOTO GALLERY: Spring Arts Festival at Frank Elementary

Mrs. Coulson helped the kindergarten, second, and fourth-grade students prepare for their songs. Kindergarten pupils presented four songs, highlighted by "If You're Happy and You Know It." The second-grade students performed five songs from different countries, and fourth-grade students sang classical songs from composers such as Beethoven, Mozart, and Bach.

The fifth-grade strings ensemble was orchestrated by Michael Smith, an instrumental music teacher at Perrysburg High School.

"We've practiced these songs all-year round," Mrs. Coulson said. "But we really started rehearsing since January."

Rochel Rimelspach-Zare, visual arts teacher, had the daunting task of putting on exhibit all 1,000 pieces of art over the past few months.

"It is so neat seeing kids go up to their pieces and get pictures with them," she said. "It is an exciting night."

Mrs. Rimelspach-Zare said the students' artwork featured creative work in mixed mediums, watercolor, clay, paint, and oils, to name a few, and some pieces reflected works done by Vincent van Gogh and Pablo Picasso.

Some fifth-grade students took part in making artwork similar to the Heidelberg Project in Detroit, done by Tyree Guyton.

"Arts are vital to providing a well-rounded education for children," Mrs. Rimelspach-Zare said.

Contact Matt Thompson at: mthompson@theblade.com or 419-356-8786 or on Twitter at @mthompson25.