An Art Exhibit Featuring Pieces from Children across Belize District
An exhibition showcasing the art work of students in the Belize District opened today at the Mexican Cultural Institute. For the second year, the Belize District Education Center partnered with the Mexican Cultural Institute and the National Institute of Culture and History, NICH, to highlight the creative art pieces of children from preschool to tertiary level institutions in the Belize District. Organizers said it is all a part of the Festival of Arts programme.
Kyle Basto, Student
“I love to paint a lot.”
Kyle Basto
Dalila Ical
“What are some of the things you like to paint the most?”
Kyle Basto
“I love to paint like things that my mom gives me, like homework, I love to paint that.”
Dalila Ical, Reporting
Six-year-old Kyle Basto is among the youngest students whose art pieces now hang in the Mexican Cultural Institute’s gallery. His is titled “An Evening,” a painting he created alongside his mother. His work is among over one hundred and twenty that include paintings, sketches, and sculptures, as well as recycled art.
Darlene Lozano
Darlene Lozano, Education Officer, Belize District Education Center
“The objective is to promote art with our students with our students for them to develop creativity, for them to develop self expression. Part of education is not only academics but to develop the performance art and the creative art. Our showcase is aimed at showing the development of art through different levels and to show the talents that we have with our students. They were very excited about putting their pieces on display and we know that through art they can express their feelings, they can express their cultural heritage and who they are.”
Leeza Sinai
Leeza Sinai, Student
“Art is a way of expressing myself and my inner feelings. I enjoy being able to express myself without the use of words. As well, Art gives me a sense of peace as I am able to forget what is around me and simply focus on my artwork.”
Ariely Rhaburn, Student
“I have two pieces of my art here. One over there is a Christmas flower and one over here is a piggy bank made out of a bottle. Sometimes I feel bored and so I just make up my own ideas and I create my arts the way I want them to be.”
Ariely Rhaburn
Dalila Ical
“So art is something that is fun and fulfilling for you?”
Ariely Rhaburn
“Yes it is.”
Dalila Ical
“You enjoy it a lot?”
Ariely Rhaburn
“Yes.”
Antoine Bradley
Antoine Bradley, Student
“I kinda like sketching more than painting.”
Dalila Ical
“Why is that?”
Antoine Bradley
“I find it a bit easier to use a pencil on paper than a paint brush with different colors I guess. It is something I like to do in my past time just to pass the time. It calms me a bit and I plan to do something with it in the future. This was a piece I did for exam. We were told to sketch a view out a window but there was a person in the way so I decided to sketch him in along as part of the piece.”
The exhibition is part of the Festival of Arts program which also features performance art which took place over three days in March and a visual arts exhibit.
Darlene Lozano
“We want our parents to support the arts. To support their children in their interest in the art, may it be performance art or may it be visual arts.”
Dalila Ical reporting for News Five.
