The International School Celebrates Art
By Micah George

( Photo ) Channelle Stewart and art teacher Cole-Augufte in front of some of Stewart’s paintings

Few schools on the island understand the importance of art, this product of human activity which is all about stimulating the human senses as well as the human mind by transmitting emotions and/or ideas.
Art is also able to illustrate abstract thought and its expressions can elicit previously hidden emotions in almost everyone.
The principal and staff of The International School, upstairs Julian’s Supermarket, at Rodney Bay was astonished this past semester at the hidden emotions, the abstract thought, and outright intelligence of their students when they were called on to stimulate their senses and minds.
Students from the lowest of grades to the highest this past semester put their art learning to use and produced a variety of acrylic, chalk and abstract paintings that literally astonished Principal June Harkness and art teacher Nancy Cole-Augufte who believes that should some of the students pursue art as a career they would be great successes.
Channelle Stewart a Grade Eleven student received much praise from the art teacher, so good were her paintings that purchase orders have already come her way for a couple of her work, something which really surprised her.

“I did not know I could actually draw and be creative,” she said
However she is not too keen on making this a career although she is still interested in acquiring as much knowledge and help as possible.
The evaluation of art may have become problematic today what with the various approaches given it by different persons. However, it has been proven that knowledge of art helps students in developing keener minds, assist them in being able to better communicate their emotions and ideas, helping them explore and appreciate several aspects of life itself.
Art, which really covers a diverse range of human activities and artifacts, should by now be a major item on the curriculum of all schools on the island. The importance of art is not lost on The International School, which has an art programme that is structured for its youngest student, who is about eight years old to its oldest student in Grade Eleven.
The school this week displayed the work of its budding art enthusiasts on its premises.