Art reception to celebrate Hart district students, teacher
For long time William S. Hart Union High School District art teacher Daryl Bibicoff, the closing of this school year is bittersweet. After 26-plus years of service to students, his finale project with the students at Rio Norte Junior High School helps him in leaving a lasting legacy of creative art and community.
On May 24, Westfield Valencia Town Center will begin an exhibit of wall art featuring art created by students ages 12 to 14, some with little to no art experience.
The project, theme and assignment that was completed in a month, which required critical and collective thinking, engages the observer to also “think.” The deep reflection and collaboration of students went from small art studies that they created with visual language like “toxic” to more positive, fun, openly creative and surreal large art panels.
The evolution of the project taught a seasoned teacher that untapped talent and artistic ability is in abundance in this community.
As a teacher, Bibicoff had to be mindful and ever so artistic in guiding his students to draw deeply and from each other in order to create a collective piece that conveyed the assignment. The resulting art provides him peace of mind for his final weeks as a teacher to almost three generations of students — a lasting legacy leaving many students, parents and colleagues inspired.
The Community Art Wall will have a reception with the student artists and Bibicoff present 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, May 24, at the Westfield Town Valencia (on the patio near the Old Sears location).