Alan Malachowski, president, PSEA Mideastern Region welcomed over 40 people to the opening night of the “Touch the Future” art show collection, so named in honor of Christa McAuliffe, NASA’s first teacher’s attempt to enter into space.
She perished in the Space Shuttle Challenger accident in 1986.
Present at the reception was curator Amy Cook, a graduate of Tyler School of Art Temple University, galleries manager, Abington Art Center.
“The collection was curated over the summer months from May to September,” said Cook. “It is sponsored by PSEA-CAPS MER. Each year PSEA-MER purchases select works from each show.”
It was in 1993 that PSEA/MER acquired its first art piece, an untitled photograph by Upper Dublin High School student Jennifer Ciganik, according to Malachowski. After purchase from the students, the art hung from walls in various locations. The collection of 40 art pieces, after 30 years of accumulation and with some deterioration, it was decided they should hang in a single gallery.
In 2001, after the association moved into its new offices, a “purchase prize” award category was formed to select and purchase artwork from each annual “Touch the Future” art show. Since then, the purchased pieces from each annual show have been permanently displayed in the new location in Montgomeryville.
Among the many teachers assembled at the event was Jim Sando, past PSEA-MER president of the association. Formerly a teacher in the Wissahickon School District, at Shady Grove Elementary School, he stated that following the Challenger incident people wanted to honor the event and art seemed to be a logical way.
He credits teachers Rosemary Hamilton and Susan Castle (both deceased) with the idea of an art show, which started out in Springhouse in a very small gallery. It was in the 90s that the student art was first showcased. Sando believes kindergarten is the place to begin an art career. Many students have taken their first baby steps toward an art career at that time.
It was Malachowski who decided on an art conservator to appraise the art and suggest what needed to be done. All the works were cleaned, restored and/or re-framed and cataloged.
In his closing comments Malachowski quoted Ladybird Johnson in her role as art devotee. “Art is the window to a man’s soul,” she proclaimed.
“The amount of talent and creativity over the years is staggering,” said Patrick Rogers, galleries director, Montgomery County Community College. “I am really in awe of this project.”
The gallery is dedicated to all the participating Bucks and Montgomery County public school art students who participated in the show throughout the years and to their teachers who provided the support to encourage the realization of their vision.
The North Penn High School String Trio, namely Hanna Pearce, Megan Pearce and Annie Pearson, provided classical music as the background for the gala reception which celebrated the 35th anniversary.
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