Central Consolidated Schools open districtwide student art show through April 16

A Navajo Hogan model by Naschitti Elementary second grader Kashton Watchman stands out among the student work filling the Central Consolidated School District administration office gymnasium in Shiprock, where the districtwide art show remains open through April 16.

The exhibit brings together one-dimensional and two-dimensional pieces from kindergarten through high school, giving parents, teachers and students a single place to see the range of art being made across the district. Oil pastel, pencil, watercolor, texture work and collage are all on view, along with pieces from Ojo Elementary School, Kirtland Elementary School, Nizhoni Elementary School, Newcomb Elementary School and other district campuses.

Another highlighted piece is “Sunset Water,” a fifth-grade work by Holliana Paul of Ojo Elementary School. Together with Watchman’s model, the pieces point to the themes that often resonate most strongly in western San Juan County classrooms: Navajo culture, local landscapes and everyday places families recognize from their own communities.

The show also works as a kind of districtwide meeting ground. Families signed in at the entrance in strong numbers, and teachers said the event gives them a chance to see what students are doing at other schools, compare techniques and exchange ideas. Arianna Sutter, an art teacher at Ojo Elementary, said the districtwide format helps single art teachers see more of the work happening beyond their own classrooms.

The exhibition started seven years ago and has grown into a recurring showcase for student achievement. That matters in a district as spread out as Central Consolidated Schools, which is based in Shiprock and serves campuses across western San Juan County. Bringing the artwork into one public space makes it easier for families from across the district to view work from several schools without making multiple stops.

The district says its mission is “a collaborative relationship within our collective community through continuous learning, open communication, and shared trust,” and the art show fits that goal closely. More than a display of school projects, it is a snapshot of how students across Central Consolidated Schools are seeing their homes, their traditions and their surroundings, one painting, model and collage at a time.