The walls of the Push Pin Gallery are filled with art of students from Dewey Academy of Fine Arts, an elementary school located on 54th and Union on the south side of Chicago. Susan Friel, Dewey's art teacher, wrote about the works on view, "I believe that creativity is the thread that runs through each one of us, connecting us to ourselves and to one another. It is a unique expression of ourselves, as reflected in the eyes of the student self-portraits. Art helps us to make meaning of our world, transforming academic notions into reality. In the geometric designs and tessellations, students breathe life into academic concepts that were once vague abstract ideas. Finally, art brings us together as a community. The canvas paintings demonstrate the collaborative process of students creating and solving problems. By sharing their artwork, the viewer actually joins in the creative process as well."

Image: Self-portrait by Jermichael Wells, Grade 5

 

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