Drive through New London and Spicer and check out the "Christmas cards" in front of many of the stores. Each 4 by 8-foot card is unique; all are colorful and well designed. This collaboration between the businesses and Bill Gabbert's art classes has become something of a tradition as this is its eighth year. The businesses foot the bill and Gabbert's students do the work.
You can also see them on the Internet. Go to www.nls.k12.mn.us . Then click on: Schools -- High School -- Departments -- Art Department -- Holiday Cards. Click on the individual cards to enlarge them and see the name of the artist.
You will be impressed. There are a lot of cards, 83 of them. Each one is better than the one before. An impressive project. What impresses me, really impresses me, is that Gabbert can inspire his students to work so hard.
In these days of school budget cuts, if you are wondering about the worth of art class, visit the rest of the NL-S art department's Web site. While you are looking at this high-quality work, consider the lessons these students have learned about creative and critical thinking, about doing high-quality work, and finishing a job.
These lessons carry over to many fields, but if a kid just wants to be an artist, consider: All the holiday cards, ornaments and other fancies that we spend so much for were designed by an artist. Some of these former art students make big bucks!
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Dave Chase
Willmar
