Young Artists of the Hudson
by Margaret Dreier

In the fall of 2005 Alison MacFarlane, art teacher at Dutchess Day School in Millbrook, joined the school's diversity committee. As the group discussed ways to reach out to other schools and bring together students of different backgrounds, an idea began to crystallize in her mind. Why not have an art show at Dutchess Day, and invite other schools to participate? The show would exhibit a variety of projects related to what kids had been studying at school, using art to share what they were learning in history, literature and other subjects, and give a large number of kids a venue for showing and sharing their work. "It's exactly what I'd wanted to do my whole life as an art teacher," says Ms. MacFarlane, "to get kids to see art as part of everything they do. I wanted to give kids of all backgrounds a chance to come together under one roof to display their work, and to honor each other as artists." This would be a "non-juried" art show, with no prizes, but a simple button or ribbon for every participant, with the emphasis on sharing and appreciating everyone's work.

The following spring, the first art show was held in Dutchess Day School's gymnasium, with works from every child at Dutchess Day as well as many projects from classes at public elementary schools across the Hudson Valley. The success of the show at Dutchess Day and the positive response from other schools encouraged "Ms. Mac," as her students call her, to repeat the idea the next year. At the 2007 show she met a man named Jeffrey Urbin, who just happened to be the Education Director for the Henry A. Wallace Center at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library and Museum in Hyde Park. She approached him about holding a future show at the Wallace Center, which would enable her to open the show to a wider community and hold it in a more central location that would be easier for participating schools to get to. Mr. Urbin agreed, and together he and Ms. Mac conceived of a show centered on a theme of local history, focused on the Roosevelt family. They would provide curriculum information to inspire other schools to do interdisciplinary art projects showcasing what students were learning. They felt that pairing a children's art show with the Roosevelt estate was a "perfect marriage," given Franklin and Eleanor's longstanding support of education and funding of the arts. FDR's beloved home on the Hudson River seemed the perfect venue for a show celebrating the history, art and ecology of the River and the Valley. They quickly decided to include local performing artists, and were thrilled to have the legendary Pete Seeger and his grandson Tao Rodriguez, as well as singer Jack DePietro, perform at the opening of last year's show.

After the smashing success of the 2008 exhibit, it was agreed to make the show an annual event. Dutchess Day School and the Henry A. Wallace Center would cosponsor the show, with the ongoing title Young Emerging Artists of the Hudson Valley and yearly themes connected to the Roosevelts. This year's theme focuses on three Hudson Valley visionaries: Roosevelt, Henry Hudson and Robert Fulton. The show's sponsors are proud to join groups across the region that are celebrating the recent 200th anniversary of the maiden voyage of Fulton's steamship Clermont as well as the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's journey, aboard his ship the Half Moon, up the river that would eventually bear his name. This year's show will once again feature an array of paintings, sculptures, drawings and collages created by children in preschool through eighth grade. Among the schools represented will be those from Spackenkill and Poughkeepsie that were the first to sign up four years ago and have participated enthusiastically every year since. They will be joined by participants from school districts across the Hudson Valley.

The exhibit will open on Friday, April 24 with an evening of special events. Jeffrey Urbin will give a talk about FDR's collection of Hudson Valley art, now preserved at the library. Renowned local folksingers Jay Ungar and Molly Mason will then perform some of their music and invite children onstage to learn some traditional dances of early Dutch settlers. As an artist, teacher and folk music fan, Alison MacFarlane is excited about hearing Urbin's talk and will be thrilled to see Mason and Ungar perform. But no more thrilled than later that evening and over the weekend when she's walking around the Wallace Center looking at the children's art on display. For Ms. Mac, this is what it's all about. "Every child will walk into that building on safe, equal ground," she says. "And every one will leave feeling only pride. In between they'll come together, share what they've learned, and maybe be inspired to create more art. There isn't anything better than that."

Margaret Dreier is the Lower School Reading and Math Specialist at Dutchess Day School. Young Emerging Artists of the Hudson Valley opens to the public Friday April 24 at 4:30 pm and can also be viewed Saturday April 25, 10am-4pm and Sunday April 26, 10am-2pm. Art Educators, schools, and families may contact Alison MacFarlane at Dutchess Day School for further information: (845) 677-5014 or www.dutchessday.org.