Swapping textbooks for paintbrushes, the Art Club headed to the Mississippi Art Gallery for an afternoon of creative instruction between 11:45 am and 2:30 pm on February 13, 2026.
The Mississippi Art Gallery lets Art Club members take free classes to learn different art techniques and allows them to freely express themselves through their art pieces. In each session,students learn how to create a piece, and discover the importance of art and how it can be perceived visually.
During the field trip, Art Club members learned acrylic painting on canvas. The painting depicted a snowy night with the moon out casting shadows behind them. The instructors, Rebecca Browning, Pat Ramsey, Beth Bell, and Barb Diebolt-Coffey, supplied the canvas, paint, brushes, and snacks.
Taelyn Cleland, an Art Club member, said “The best part of the experience was being able to have this opportunity to reconnect with my love for art after a few years, and being able to take a class with people who are welcoming, caring, and experienced in the art field. As a young artist at CHS, I am so grateful that we were able to make this happen, not just for the Art Club but also for any current students at CHS and future students.” Overall, Cleland loved being able to express herself through art with fellow students. She is grateful that the Art Gallery offered free lessons and that the club members support one another through their shared passion for art.
Grace Kirkpatrick, Another Art Club member, said, “Honestly, there wasn’t a specific part that stuck out to me. The whole experience is something I cherished, especially since we have no art classes here at CHS. To be able to sit in a room of other artists and learn together is something I’ve never had, but something I always wished for. So maybe my favorite part was just being there in the moment you could say.”
Kirkpatrick had such an amazing time at the gallery and being able to be “in the moment” with other students. She appreciates what the gallery staff and Art Club members did to show support and to make the event fun. Most of all, Grace loves sharing her artistic skills and expressing herself just like other Art Club members.
