The Socorro Independent School District (SISD) recently celebrated the hidden artistic talents of its employees with its annual Employee Art Show. Among the showcased participants was Julian Vidales, an art teacher at Pebble Hills High School, who claimed first place in the Art Teacher category with his 10-foot-tall painting "Sheer Grit". The artwork, a poignant homage to his late father who bravely battled cancer, resonated with themes of resilience and strength. "I knew it had to be bigger than anything I've ever painted before, you know, just because to me he was larger than life," Vidales told Socorro ISD. His father passed away earlier this year, on January 5th.
This year's exhibition, held at the District Service Center on September 4th, featured over 100 entries spanning ceramics, acrylic paintings, mixed media, and photography. The event celebrated first, second, and third place winners in two separate divisions: one for art teachers and another for non-art teachers. Candace Printz, SISD's assistant director of Fine Arts, emphasized the inclusivity of the show. "Some people have these hidden talents that nobody ever knows until we have an exhibition like this," Printz explained, as obtained by Socorro ISD. The event aimed to uplift the artistry that often goes unnoticed within the education community.
Other educators also stood out, including Kertrenia Wright, the principal of Benito Martinez Elementary School, who took home third-place in the non-teacher category for her pottery work "Bisque Beauty". She compared the progression of bisque to glazed bowls to human development in an interview with SISD. Likewise, Luz Olave-Gilbert, a second-grade dual language teacher at Myrtle Cooper Elementary School, found the courage to submit a watercolor painting after three months of practice thanks to the school principal's encouragement. “What I got from this is that it pushed me to do my very first original piece after three months,” Olave-Gilbert shared with Socorro ISD.
