Art Courtesy of Talia Earl ’25
The Interschool Council (ISC) of Lower Merion hosts an art show annually, in early spring. The event features art from all grades, K-12, and all eleven schools in the district. Each year, families, students, teachers and community members visit the Main Line Art Center to celebrate student pieces handpicked by LMSD art teachers.
The selection process for art show pieces varies from teacher to teacher, but there are common themes that must be exhibited. Art show pieces are “visually strong, and impactful for an audience to look at,” described Art teacher Dan Hazel. Teachers don’t simply choose the “best” works. Works are chosen because they display creativity, dedication, or technical skill. I sat down with Ben De Meo, who teaches a wide array of levels in Ceramics, Woodworking, 3D Art, and Metal Arts, to dive deeper into the selection process. He explained that he often chooses “students that show a lot of potential. It’s not necessarily about the quality of work. Sometimes it’s to highlight a student that worked really hard.” As a whole, the Art Show aims to showcase a huge variety of skill levels and media. What’s selected from Ceramics 5 will differ greatly from Ceramics 1, and even more dramatically from an elementary or middle school art class. Exemplary versions of each project can help viewers understand what the differing fields of art entail and the goals that they work towards. “I’m trying to show work from each level of my classes”, DeMeo says.
Art Courtesy of Sean Herrmann ’26
Talia Earl ’25, a seasoned choice for the show, explained that “sometimes, it’s pieces that teachers think are especially unique or that they personally connected with.” Earl’s work, a study of painted still life, was recently displayed at this year’s show, as requested by Hazel. She didn’t immediately identify it as something that would be in the running, but recalls feeling really confident when completing the piece. Shown below, the talent and skill is apparent, but she may have also been chosen for her hard work and persistence. “I’m a really slow painter, so it took me a while. I had to take it home to work on it, because I kept running out of class time,” she described.
In a world where it’s easy to get caught up in college admissions, SAT scores, or highly competitive sports, events like the art show can ground our community and give students a chance to focus on creativity and self expression. Additionally, countless psychological studies have found that art exhibitions significantly decrease stress. The art show plays a critical role in celebrating the exploration of art and reminding us of its importance within our education. Earl spoke on the subject, stating, “I do think it’s important to celebrate student’s art. I think that LM is really academically focused and competitive, and it’s important to cultivate creativity and other passions in students besides just grades.”
Whether or not you’re an artist, the art show is an unbeatable opportunity to see amazing pieces from students of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels, to take a break from academic stresses, and to support the community, as well as art teachers and the art department as a whole. If you have a sibling or friend chosen, or just want to show out for your community and district, the ISC Art Show is the place to be. I’ll see you next spring at the Main Line Art Center!
Art Courtesy of Keith Walsh ’25
