Pilot Point students artwork is now on display at the Pilot Point Coffee House.
In a joint effort by Pilot Point Community Arts, Pilot Point ISD, and the coffee shop, five high school students participated in an art showcase on May 8.
“Art in the community is so very important,” Justine Scott said. “Creativity is so valuable to how we experience our lives, and it's very important to celebrate that.”
Scott thanked Patti Wilson and high school art teacher Jennifer Fronterhouse for their involvement to make it happen.
“They're so talented, and that talent is here in Pilot Point,” Wilson said. “I just don't think people really, truly understand that we have such talent in our students here that Pilot Point ISD is putting out some incredible students that are going to be doing some amazing things. I just love it.”
The showcase recognized the five students whose work was featured: Landon Agosta, Kendra Light and Brenda Reyes, as well as Carmen Montanez and Maddie Paxton, who were recognized that evening but not present.
Pilot Point High School art teacher Jennifer Fronterhouse shared that the students with artwork on display are from the advanced placement art class.
There, students can explore any medium of art, pick themes and conduct sustained investigation.
“Once they get the foundation of art, then it's like I'm just an adviser,” she said. “I'm just going to guide and someone to bounce ideas off, so I love to see where they go and what they like to explore in their artwork. And as you can see, it's a variety of artwork.”
High school junior Brenda Reyes has been in Pilot Point for a short time and has already fallen in love with the community.
“Everybody is so open,” Reyes said. “The first time I went to this coffee house, I was astonished because everybody's art was here, and I was like, ‘Oh, cool. They really care about it.’ So, I'm like, “I think I want to display my art here, too.’”
She shared that her favorite piece on display is The Last Meal.
“It's a part of my sustained investigation, which was about skulls and how our skulls hold our memories because of our hippocampus,” Reyes said.
Wanting a bit of a challenge, Reyes created her artwork in watercolors, a medium she rarely uses, inspired by photos she found on Pinterest.
Surprised by the turnout, Landon Agosta shared that it was neat to see so many people come out to support the arts and thanked everyone.
His artwork began with nature, but as he dug, he found themes that developed into something deeper.
“It became less than just what is alive to what is surviving or what is living, and so I wanted to explore the things that come with that,” he said. “So emotion, love, hope, solidarity, isolation and creativity.”
The last student to speak was Kendra Light.
She shared that through this process, she has explored several media and feels like she’s artistically grown and rediscovered her love of creating art.
Her creative work was largely inspired by her love of animals and by her plans to earn a bachelor's degree in biology.
“I kind of wanted to reintroduce that to my art because I think that art and science have a lot to do with each other,” Light said. “I feel like if you understand like an octopus or snail or kiwi bird, then you can capture it a little bit. … I really appreciate all you guys for coming. It's really beautiful to see so many people who still care about art.”
In support was Superintendent Dr. Shannon Fuller, who was happy that the interests of students that may sometimes get overshadowed are brought to the light.
She also expressed gratitude for those who helped make it happen.
“Pilot Point is known for being an athletic town, but we have so many kids that are interested in so many things,” Fuller said. “I think that it is amazing that people that don't have kids in our school find a way to make sure that we highlight all children, and especially the ones that are passionate about certain things.”
