Families packed the Main Mall last week to view Durango School District 9-R students’ artwork at the “Art for All” opening reception for Youth Art Month.

The event displayed different art pieces completed by students from elementary school to high school. The pieces varied from ceramics, papier-mâché and two-dimensional art pieces.

While this is the first year of the celebration at the Main Mall, the event dates back more than 25 years, according to Durango High School art teacher Krista Karpel. When the event first began, 9-R did not offer visual arts programs at the elementary school level but did have after-school programs, and schools would host these events to showcase student artwork.

“We had amazing after-school programs and wanted to showcase all of the art that was happening in the schools,” Karpel said.

The reception was not a competition and students were not rated based on their pieces. Karpel said the reception was meant to represent what the students had completed in the classroom.

“We want to make sure we show a diversity of students, cultures, talents, mediums, as much as we can,” she said.

She said the most important part of the event is to look at the time and effort students put in at any level. The efforts include the clean lines drawn on skyscrapers or precisely cutting out shapes for a collage.

“No matter what age level it is, it takes time and discipline,” Karpel said.

One notable piece was an acrylic painting completed by Durango High School senior Ginger Ashurst. Her painting displayed a cattle skull surrounded by different forms of glassware. Another piece was completed by sophomore Logan France on scratchboard. It depicted what appears to be a romantic scene in Paris paying great attention to detail with lines.

Karpel said the pieces were all part of school projects required for the class based on learning segments throughout the year. However, she said the goal of an art teacher is to guide and not try to limit creativity.

“We do feel like the arts are a great place to exemplify our portrait for graduate competencies,” said Superintendent Karen Cheser. “I know some districts have cut the arts; we only want to expand (them).”

Cheser said the high school is expanding its career pathways programs to include more artistically driven pathways such as graphic design and animation.

The reception wasn’t only for the traditional arts but the culinary arts, as well.

Students from Durango High School’s culinary arts program cooked up candy bacon with honey-glaze sauce. Other snacks included garlic bread with a corn bisque and a flowerless chocolate cake.

Students explained the process of making a flour-less chocolate cake.

“We grabbed a cup of semisweet chocolate chips with, I want to say, 113 grams of butter. We melted it down to a mix and while it's melting down, you want to grab sugar, espresso and cocoa powder,” explained DHS senior Avery Elliott. “Then once that's all made, pour in the melted chocolate and butter mix into it and stir together until its smooth.”

DHS culinary arts teacher Joe Burns said the culinary program has been heavily supported by Durango’s restaurant community. He said it often helps students find summer jobs or further pursue a career working in the restaurant industry.

With the addition of Impact Career Development Center next year at DHS, Burns said the students will begin more experiential learning opportunities where student will simulate restaurant settings.

tbrown@durangoherald.com