WCS Art Show and NWTN Arts Festival

Weakley County Schools Celebrate Arts at Inaugural Regional Festival
Posted on 04/14/2021
This is the image for the news article titled Weakley County Schools Celebrate Arts at Inaugural Regional FestivalClouds, light rain, and strong winds couldn’t keep artists, performers and arts advocates from celebrating Saturday. The array of talent evident at the first Northwest Tennessee Arts Festival which included the Weakley County Schools Art Show meant the three-hour event concluded with both the sun and smiles beaming.

Families and friends of young visual artists, musicians, vocalists, dancers, and actors were treated to an installation of 124 drawings, painting, photos, and mixed media pieces as well as a full program of performances.

Weakley Arts Can, a local group focused on advocacy and support of the arts for both the community and schools, launched the outdoor festival this year to give students and area artists and performers an opportunity to show their talents in a COVID-safe environment. The University of Tennessee at Martin Music Department also served as a sponsor along with Weakley County Schools.

“We are so appreciative of UTM’s willingness to share the lessons they learned with their successful Live at the Tent events and their incredible set up near Pacer Pond,” said Katie Mantooth, co-president of Weakley Arts Can with Julie Hill, the department chair for UTM’s music program.

“Offering our students the chance to perform in a festival-type setting gives them not only experience with the arts but also a chance to learn creative problem-solving when the weather doesn’t always cooperate.

“In addition, children were able to discover other arts outlets outside their focus. Visual artists heard steel drums. Vocalists explored photography and mixed media. And mommas and daddies were made aware of a child’s talent and saw them applauded for it,” she noted.

Along with UTM students who took to the open-air stage, Weakley County saw every school represented in both the visual art display and the performances.

The Dresden High School Choir, under the direction of Jacob Abbott, literally discovered the joy of singing in the rain as the morning drizzle had not yet concluded when they opened the show with three numbers.

Middle School music teacher Rebecca Steele helped Sharon School and Greenfield School turn buckets into drums for rousing interpretations of their pieces.

Weakley Playhouse, a theater group of students from every Weakley County High School and directed by Martin Kane, brought laughter to the tent as they presented a raucous scene from A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

And the Westview Jazz Band presented together and in quartets with Jennifer Cupples and Rebecca Steele directing.

When asked about the impact of the day, Kane replied, “Theater is less alive in an empty room with a camera. The actors feel the energy of the audience, and an engaged audience allows them to connect with their characters more than they do in rehearsal.”

Music teachers voiced the hope that the community support would continue for upcoming performances.

Other local talent rounded out the program which included a mid-day pause to recognize the winners of the countywide visual art show.

Weakley County Schools Director Randy Frazier and Board Chair Steve Vantrease thanked the sponsors and judges before announcing the winners. Included in their praise were art teachers and event supporter Discovery Park of America who gifted tickets to the venue to all first place winners.

UTM’s David McBeth and Jason Stout, Beth Cravens of the Weakley County Press, Sabrina Bates of the Dresden Enterprise and local graphic artist Jai-Chandler Mathis served as the panel of judges who determined the first, second and third place awards for four age-bands and four categories from each school’s top three entries.

All the school winners were displayed on stands created by Greenfield School ag teacher Matt Humphrey and his students. Art teachers Nan Satterfield and Amber Wharton curated the display assisted by volunteers enlisted by Weakley Arts Can.

In reflecting on the day, Frazier noted, “Just like the weather posed obstacles that had to be overcome for this one-day festival to be the great success that it was, we as a school system will continue to address budgetary restrictions that keep us from having the robust arts program we all desire. We appreciate the work of Weakley Arts Can and are committed to working with them to provide even more arts opportunities in the future.”

The Weakley County Art Show winners for 2021 are (photos follow):

Drawing Grades K-2
1st Greydon Shepherd, Greenfield
2nd Persie Foster, Gleason
3rd Grayson Stout, MPS

Drawing Grades 3-5
1st Alexa Vu, MES
2nd Kinsley Baker, Greenfield
3rd Mariana Ivansic, MES

Drawing Grades 6-8
1st Emma McGregor and Savanah Hagan, MMS
2nd Destiny Brewer, Sharon
3rd Alina Vo, MMS

Drawing Grades 9-12
1st Katy Cursey, Westview
2nd Ellie Dodson, Westview
3rd Michael Butler, Westview

Painting Grades K-2
1st Travis Bailey, Gleason
2nd Tegan Stout, DES
3rd Case Harrington, Greenfield

Painting Grades 3-5
1st Jebb Lunsford, Greenfield
2nd Lydia Moore, MES
3rd Kimberlynn Vanhorn, Gleason

Painting Grades 6-8
1st Navaiha Streeter, Greenfield
2nd Lena Zimmerman, MMS
3rd Destiny Ragan, DMS

Painting Grades 9-12
1st Megan Totty, Westview
2nd Garrett Garner, Greenfield
3rd Zanda Tipton, Gleason

Photo Grades K-2
1st Barnes Bragg, MPS
2nd Boone Hampton, MPS
3rd Bolton Brooks, MPS

Photography Grades 3-5
1st Presley Snider, MES
2nd Hannah Wells, Greenfield
3rd Emmitt Bragg, MES

Photography Grades 6-8
1st Bella Hendrix, DMS
2nd Kadance Brewer, MMS

Photography Grades 9-12
1st Ellie Dodson, Westview
2nd Makayla Morrow, Gleason

3D/Sculpture/Mixed Media Grades K-2
1st Persie Foster, Gleason
2nd Blakely Pentecost, Greenfield
3rd Kinley Trevathan, Gleason

3D/Sculpture/Mixed Media Grades 3-5
1st Kathie Winstead, Greenfield
2nd Baker Biggs, Greenfield
3rd Bryson McAbee, DES

3D/Sculpture/Mixed Media Grades 6-8
1st Levi Irby, Greenfield
2nd Lila Trevathan, Greenfield
3rd Samuel Butero, MMS

3D/Sculpture/Mixed Media Grades 9-12
1st Madison Yates, Westview
2nd Michael Butler, Westview
3rd Nicholas Avent, Westview

art show winners
Art Show Winners – Garrett Garner, Zanda Tipton, Kimberlynn Vanhorn, Lena Zimmerman, Destiny Ragan, Case Harrington, Tegan Stout, Travis Bailey, Ellie Dodson

art show winners
Art Show Winners – Nicholas Avent, Kathie Winstead, Blakely Pentecost, Bolton Brooks, Emmitt Bragg, Bella Hendrix, Barnes Bragg, Jeff Lunsford, Megan Totty

art show winners
Art Show Winners – Navaiha Streeter, Kadance Brewer, Boone Hampton, Kinley Trevathan, Madison Yates, Samuel Butero, Lila Trevathan, Levi Irby, Ellie Dodson

art show winners
Art Show Winners – Destiny Brewer, Katy Cursey, Alexa Vu, Kinsley Baker, Mariana Ivansic, Emma McGregor and Savannah Hagan, Grayson Stout

mixed media winners
3D-Sculpture-Mixed Media Winners – Levi Irby, Lila Trevathan, Samuel Butero, Madison Yates, Nicholas Avent, (front row) Kinley Trevathan, Blakely Pentecost, Kathie Winstead

Sharon Bucket Band
Sharon Bucket Band - Andrea Lane, Jas'Tine Edwards, Ebony Glenn, Markus Elam, Brayden Felan, James Presson, Izayah Burns and teachers Rose Wade, Rebecca Steele, Steve Douglas, Regina Harrison

ensemble
Westview Ensemble - Tori Ary, Jonah Simmons, Jennifer Cupples directing

ensemble
Westview Ensemble- Jennifer Cupples with Owen Oelrich, James McGregor, Jonah Simmons

jazz band
Westview Jazz Band

Dresden choir
Dresden Choir 

Jacob Abbott and choir
Dresden Choir- - Aleena Davis, Daedreanna Curtis, Choir Director Jacob Abbott, Nick Skarsten, Austin Peevyhouse, Aaron Fulcher

Dresden choir
Dresden Choir

Jennifer Cupples, Rebecca Steele
Jennifer Cupples, Rebecca Steele

Nan Satterfield with student
Greenfield art teacher Nan Satterfield not only helped curate the Weakley County Art Show she was ready to celebrate each Greenfield artist (like Blakely Pentecost shown here) whose work was included.

Weakley Playhouse
Weakley Playhouse - Gloria Hogan, Zach Whiteman, Jeremiah Britt, Zanda Tipton

Weakley Playhouse
Weakley Playhouse - Nathan Reese, Zowie Tipton in play within a play

rainy start
Rainy start for Dresden Choir

Greenfield Bucket Band
Greenfield Bucket Band

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