Lower, Middle, and Upper School students crafted various kinds of art inspired by their observations from field trips to The Academy of Natural Sciences. All of the pieces were then composed into an art exhibition, Sights on Site, which was displayed from February 20th to March 2nd. 

Sights on Site is an annual partnership, and art exhibits are held at different locations in the city each year. This year, it was hosted at The Academy of Natural Sciences and included the work of Friends Select artists from different grades and classes. “We were especially excited to work with the Academy of Natural Sciences because it is very different from the other sites that we have worked with in the past, like the Arch Street Meetinghouse and Reading Terminal,” said Zoë Blatt, Friends Select Art Department Chair. “I was eager to see how students responded to their incredible, diverse collection, especially the science-art connection.”

The exhibit featured pieces from Upper School classes, including Art Foundations, Advanced Metals and Glass, Drawing and Painting I + Advanced, and Creating with Technology I + Advanced. The work of the 6th grade, 4th grade, 3rd grade, and 2nd grade were also featured. “Sights on Site is the only cross-divisional program we have at Friends Select; it’s a great opportunity to showcase and celebrate learning from Lower, Middle, and Upper school students all together,” said Margaret Smith, Director of City Curriculum. “There is something really special about seeing Lower School students show off their work to their families and then get to explore the art opportunities that lie ahead of them in Middle and Upper school.” 

The artists used various materials such as acrylic paint, natural found objects, laser cutters, glass, and more. Although the projects consist of different mediums, they all carry the essence of the dioramas, paleontology artifacts, and other exhibits that the students observed at The Academy of Natural Sciences. 

This year’s exhibit had a few firsts. “​​This was the first year that Zoë was at the helm as the art department chair, and it was really exciting to work with a new chair that brought new ideas to the program,” explains Margaret. “This was also Jason Symonette’s first year experiencing Sights on Site, and one of his classes contributed the first animation work in Sights on Site’s history.” 

Both Zoë and Margaret agreed that the exhibit’s location being so close to school made things a lot easier and allowed more people to attend the reception. 

Sights on Site is an annual tradition hosted at a variety of sites, and according to Zoë and Margaret, planning for next year’s exhibit will begin this spring. If anyone has any ideas or suggestions for it, they are encouraged to share them with Zoë or Margaret.