Students in grades 7-12 from Bath

Middle School, Woolwich Central School and Morse High School have their art on display at Patten Free Library in Bath through April 28. The library hosts a student art show every spring, and librarian Roberta Jordan said that this year’s collection is the largest yet.

“There’s an especially good representation this year from the middle schools,” said Jordan during Wednesday’s opening. “There is a pretty great cross section between middle school and high school, which is great to see.”

The focus of the art show is an eye-drawing project taught by Bath Middle School art teacher Jackie Johnson.

“We were taking the basic skill set of ‘let’s draw the eye,’ and instead of taking one session to do so it morphed into a really wonderful project over a few days of intense working,” said Johnson. “Each eye could be attached to a different figure with a different meaning coming from a story or an emotion. It was really fun.”

Eighth-grader Brianna Koehlang drew a dragon’s eye and said that she finds dragons “a little bit more interesting than people when it comes to facial expressions.”

“My drawing took two or three classes to create, but it was worth it,” said Koehlang.

Olivia Fuller of Woolwich Central School presented an oil painting of a flower bouquet that she made in class.

“I’ve worked with oil paints a little bit in class before, but it was interesting to use different textures and paints to make it look pretty,” said Fuller.

Jordan said that there is usually at least one student who goes on to have a solo art show after presenting their art at the Patten Free Library student art show.

“One of the students has a solo show next month,” said Jordan. “We have started that tradition, and it’s continuing this year.”

“There are a lot of sleeper artists in these schools,” said Johnson. “You work with them and realize that they have the capacity to dig deep.”

bgoodridge@timesrecord.com

BEN GOODRIDGE / THE TIMES RECORD