After weeks of preparation, Lawrence High portfolio art, photography and ceramics students got to display their work at S&S Artisan Pub and Coffeehouse. 

Students put together an Emergence show with the help of teachers Todd Poteet, Angela Perkins and Emily Markalautos, bringing a new experience for students as well as the teachers involved. 

For the first time in Poteet’s time at Lawrence High, student’s got to show their work at a location not connected to the district show or the school.

“At my previous job, we did art shows for students all the time,” Poteet said. “At Lawrence High though, we realized they didn’t have many of those student community opportunities to participate as professional artists. S&S is owned by former teachers, so not only did they want us, but they were thrilled to have us.”

Student artists were selected via private invitation from teachers who knew which students had bodies of work to show. Preparation for the show was intense, with most students not only creating new work but touching up work from previous semesters. 

“I pulled images from the summer and did a new shoot to create my new pieces,” senior photography student Allie White said. “I wanted to get some feedback on which pieces were stronger so I can decide if I should submit any of them into competitions later this semester.”

Other artists, like senior art student Jerwin Rapada, were less focused on producing new work, but rather installing the show itself.

“After I gathered my pieces, I was more helping with the exhibition itself and installing it,” Rapada said. “My previous experience hanging a show definitely helped, plus it being a smaller group.”

Along with the current show, Lawrence High students were also given a winter show at S&S, as well as two shows per year going forward. A reception was also held at S&S for the public to meet the artists behind the work as well as celebrate the work displayed. 

“It was really cool to see my work somewhere in the community where people go for other things than art,” White said. “I got to talk to a few people that really admired my work and told me to never stop doing art. It just means a lot that people that don’t know me still compliment my work.” 

Many students enjoyed that they had the opportunity to be treated as real artists rather than just art students.

“It was fun knowing that just regular Lawrence people will go to see it, not just those from school,” Rapada said. “It’s nice to know people could connect to my work and see it and relate to it.”

Looking to the future, Poteet hopes to continue finding opportunities for independent shows for his students as well as further connections in the Lawrence community. 

“I’m always looking for new opportunities like this for my students,” Poteet said. “The goal is to give students that opportunity to showcase their talents, their skills and get them to use those professional skills they may need in their futures.”