As I was clicking around Instagram this weekend, I was so happy to see this photo. It demonstrates something I feel so strongly about that is at the essence of what Artmaking does for us when we have a chance to share it with the world. Our student exhibitions have begun and Thalia, who is pictured above with her father, is one of our advanced teen students in Clark, NJ. She is a shining example of One River students who are rocking the stage at our schools right now!

Think about what an actor or actress would feel like if they never performed in front of others. Or if a musician didn’t get to play their music live.  Well, it’s the same thing if you make visual art and never share it. The feedback that you get coupled with the pride that you feel allows you to bank positive emotional chemistry that helps to fuel your ongoing motivation to grow and challenge yourself to learn. I call it the joy of sharing and it is a special feeling.

We have a whole bunch of exhibitions that are continuing to happen so please get out and high five our students, teachers and team who make this happen. It’s a real show that works in very profound ways and the community participation is essential to the experience and to the input that our student artists deserve and require.