Leander ISD schools of all educational stages displayed their student’s art at the LISD District Art Showcase on March 28. Held at Vista Ridge High School, the event focused on showcasing paintings, photography, sculptures and drawings of students from kindergarten through twelfth grade.

“[The showcase] is awesome because it’s the one time that all the schools get together and show the students artwork,” art teacher Jessica Davidson said. “It exists because art is made to be seen.”

According to Davidson, students have one to three of their pieces selected by their teacher to be displayed. The teachers try to have art from a variety of different projects and perspectives.

“Instead of putting art of the same project up where you’re kind of comparing, you want to have work that shows experimentation, creative thinking or work that is technically outstanding,” Davidson said. “It doesn’t always have to be like the most realistic or the most abiding by the project. It can be something that’s a little bit more out of the box.”

At the showcase, teachers are given ribbons to award students who created notable artwork. In the past five years that Davidson has participated in the showcase, she said that after having their artwork selected, students tend to take themselves and their art more seriously.

“In the past few years I’ve had students get offers for people to buy their work, so that’s always a really good boost as well,” Davidson said. “I think another part of it is that students will invite their families. So much of what we do is just in [the art] room. The parents just hear about it, so when they actually see it on display, they’re really blown away at how amazing it is and just really impressed by their child.”

Senior art student Kaemon Kato said the showcase was a validating experience.

“It feels really empowering to know that something I did by myself got selected,” Kato said. “I think it’s an honor to have something that I made with my own hands being presented and conveyed.”

In addition to strengthening student confidence, the event also gives a major influence for younger artists. Junior art student Jace Wilt said visiting the showcase in years prior was a great influence to his art.

“I used to go to the showcase when I was younger,” Wilt said. “I would get heavy inspiration from artists in the same grade as me and in high school. [That inspiration] made me want to keep on working, and I think it just shows the hope and inspiration the elementary and middle schoolers get.”

For teachers like Davidson, the hard work required to ready the students for the showcase is more than worth it in the end.

“You’re really in the trenches beforehand… and all of a sudden it’s done and you see it in its final presentation, and you’re like ‘oh man, they really killed it,’” Davidson said. “We worked really hard this year to get it all ready in time. So proud, tired and satisfied.”