It was a magical night at Wood Elementary School.

The school was turned into “The Enchanted Wood”  for the annual Fine Arts Night on April 23. Nearly 800 family members and guests were on hand to view 3,243 pieces of student artwork, including paintings, drawings, clay and more — and even a glow gallery display of works, an annual crowd favorite. Pieces for the show are created throughout the school year. 

Wood art teacher Erin Erwin said it’s the third year that the school has themed the annual show, with that theme integrated into other content standards. In addition to the art, Fine Arts Night visitors were entertained with music from the fourth and fifth grade chorus. This year, music teachers recorded their younger classes singing, and families could listen to their child’s class through QR codes on display at the event.

Making it come together is an all-hands-on-deck effort.

“My goal has been for Fine Arts Night to be a school-wide event that integrates grade level content standards with art and music,” Erwin said.  “It is not just an art show or chorus concert. The whole school embraces the theme. Related arts teachers help hang artwork and decorate. Classroom teachers help decorate bulletin boards and hallways, and they integrate standards-based lessons on theme. It has become our biggest and most anticipated event of the year.”

This year’s visitors walked into a “castle,” complete with a drawbridge and a Royal Portrait Gallery, where every student’s self-portrait was displayed among other artwork. As visitors walked down the hallway, they left the castle and entered the “Enchanted Wood” or forest area, which eventually led into the popular glow gallery.  

Erwin said she and fellow art teacher Courtnie Wooten want to represent every child in the school, so every student has at least one artwork on display in the annual show. 

“It is very fulfilling to see students proudly showing off their work to their families and to see these families enjoying all of our hard work,” Erwin said. “It also makes me proud of our school community and how all of the faculty and staff support the arts and come together to make it happen.”

Wood Elementary Principal Angela Brown said Fine Arts Night always brings the magic, no matter the year.

“Fine Arts Night has become such a popular event at Wood Elementary because it truly represents a whole school collaboration. Every part of our school community comes together to celebrate the amazing student artwork, the incredible growth in our music program, and the many ways we use technology to showcase all we are doing,” Brown said. “It’s more than just an event — it’s a culmination showcase of the year-long hard work of our students and staff, and that pride and creativity really resonate with everyone who attends.”