By Julia Beauregard
Hometown Weekly Editor
Erin Hawkins, a resident artist, teacher, and instructional designer, has recently curated an exhibition featuring the artwork of local children (Kindergarten - 7th grade) at the Westwood Public Library (WPL). The pieces on display originate from various after-school art classes conducted by Hawkins in 2023 at her studio located in Westwood.
Hometown Weekly Editor Julia Beauregard was lucky enough to interview Hawkins and gain her insights on the role of art education, encouraging self expression, inspiring other young artists, and bringing the community together through the public display of artwork.
What inspired you to showcase your students' artwork at the local library?
This is my second year doing a February show at the Westwood Public Library. In 2023, I just knew it would help motivate my students to do their best work, and it did! It went so well I decided to do it again this year.
Can you tell us about the process of selecting which pieces to display?
I believe in offering students as many choices as possible so they feel that their ideas matter. Each student chose their favorite piece to display in the show. We had to cap it at one piece per student so we could fit everyone in the space. Some students have taken multiple classes with me, and so it was a challenge for some of them to narrow it down to just one piece.
How do you believe displaying artwork in public spaces like libraries benefits your student?
Making art but not sharing it is like learning an instrument but never performing. Students gain confidence and are more motivated when they know that others in the community will see their work. We are lucky to have a public space available and I am so grateful to the Westwood Public Library for providing that for us.
What kind of reactions or feedback have you received from the community about the exhibition?
The day I installed the art, there was a big group of firefighters gathered in the gallery space. They took an interest in the creativity and the ideas explored through the students' art. They especially enjoyed some of the work done in my cartooning class, including a cartoon about a piece of bread about to be put in the toaster and an avocado about to be sliced. No two pieces in the show look alike and every piece tells a story. Parents in my classes have also reached out to share pictures of their children next to their art. You can tell from their photos that my students feel excited and proud. For me, that's what it's all about.
How do you think showcasing their work impacts your students' confidence and self-expression?
When students know other people will take an interest in what they make, they are more motivated to make great things. I think most children innately love to create and share, but may not always get the message that others care about what they have to say. So often, children have to listen to adults, and for good reason! But it's important for the adults around them to listen and take an interest in them too.
What role do you think art education plays in fostering creativity and critical thinking skills in young learners?
Art education is essential to fostering creativity and critical thinking skills. Children gain experience putting ideas together in ways that are not possible in other disciplines -- narrative ideas as well as visual ideas and different ways of working with space and materials. We live in an increasingly visual and media-saturated world, and so children need to learn to be creators of their own visual language, not just consumers. They also need to learn to be critical of the imagery they see in various contexts like a museum, a social media platform, or on TV, etc. They need to think about how visual art is made, what the intentions of the creator are, and what kind of impact that art has on other people. Art education gives children those critical thinking skills so they can more effectively participate in visual culture.
How do you encourage your students to express themselves through their artwork?
The more choices I can offer, the more I am empowering students to express their own ideas. Students of all ages enjoy choosing their own subject matter and materials. They also love to get inspiration from artwork made by students at their same level. This is more helpful to them than looking at the art that I make. They are most curious about each other and learn best from one another. I try to balance choice with exposure to new techniques and materials, so that they continue to gain the skills they need to be more effective as artists.
How do you hope this exhibition will inspire other young artists in the community?
I hope young people, and not just the students in my classes, see that young people's ideas and creations matter.
How do you balance teaching technical skills with encouraging artistic expression in your classroom?
I tend to work more explicitly with younger grades (kindergarten and first) on those foundational skills like holding a crayon or a paint brush, cutting with scissors, folding paper, etc. As children progress through elementary school, they are drawn to certain ways of working and I try to support them in gaining those skills that will help them accomplish what they want to do. So I still teach technical skills to older students, but in a more individualized way. I also teach adults and the same approach works well with them.
What are your future plans for continuing to showcase your students' artwork in the community?
I have already booked the library space for another show in February 2025. So that will be a great opportunity for all young students taking my classes in 2024!
The pieces on display originate from various after-school art classes conducted by Hawkins in 2023 at her studio located in Westwood. The public is welcomed and encouraged to enjoy these various works created by young, local artists!
