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Richmond School District staff unite for ‘Beyond the Bell’ art exhibition
The month-long exhibition at Richmond Cultural Centre features artwork by teaching staff, educational assistants and administrative employees from across the district.
‘Beyond the Bell,’ an art exhibition coordinated by longtime Richmond Secondary School art teacher Allison Shelling, is on display at the Upper Rotunda Gallery in the Richmond Cultural Centre through Sept. 24. Now in its fifth year, the show highlights the artistic talents of Richmond School District employees outside their regular workdays.
Eight artists are represented this year, including teaching staff, educational assistants and administrative staff. The exhibition includes painting, drawing, photography, ceramics, digital painting and textile work, offering visitors a view of creative practices pursued beyond school hours.
Shelling said the show lets educators model the willingness to take creative risks for their students. As an art teacher, she said, her students can see that she continues to practise and challenge herself, and that sharing work publicly takes courage.
Participants draw on personal experiences, cultural heritage, family histories and artistic influences while continuing to create, experiment and develop their practices. Shelling’s own work uses cyanotype, a photographic process that predates cameras by nearly 200 years. Her collages and imagery explore figure work, the female form and her Slovakian heritage.
Shelling said the idea for the exhibition emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many people were working and living virtually and had unexpected time available. She did not feel comfortable applying to professional galleries and thought other people in the school district might be looking for a place to share their work as well.
The exhibition title reflects the idea that education shapes much of staff members’ daily lives while creativity often flourishes outside work. Those artistic pursuits can remain unseen by colleagues, students and the wider community; the show brings them into view and emphasizes that creativity exists throughout the district.
The first three exhibitions featured only art teachers, but the format has since expanded to include any district employee. Shelling said making art public can build creators’ confidence and help the community recognize that all forms of creativity are valid, potentially encouraging others to share their work.