Today, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) and Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) unveiled newly installed student artwork at the Peter J. Camiel Turnpike Service Plaza. Students from Twin Valley High School created the piece, which is a series of glazed ceramic mosaics highlighting historical and natural sites in the region. This is the 12th artwork created in conjunction with Art Sparks, a PCA and PTC partnership to bring student-created, locally relevant artwork to service plazas across the PTC's 564-mile system.
"This project gave students the opportunity to further develop a variety of skills and attributes that will prove beneficial both to their academic careers and in the years ahead as they join the Commonwealth's workforce," said Karl Blischke, PCA Executive Director. "Creativity, problem solving, and teamwork are just some of these. I applaud their dedication to creating this beautiful piece and thank all our project partners."
"It's amazing how art brings people together," said Mark Compton, PTC CEO. "This project continues to prove how young people can use their imaginations, work together and create something beautiful that motivates others."
Coordinated through the Philadelphia Arts in Education Partnership, the PCA's regional Arts in Education partner organization, students worked with resident teaching artist, Jessica G. Liddell, and Heather McCord, Twin Valley High School art teacher, to design and create the glazed ceramic mosaic. The artwork depicts Hopewell Furnace National Park, French Creek State Park, Daniel Boone Homestead, and Crow's Nest Preserve. The mosaic installation is now permanently on view at the Peter J. Camiel Turnpike Service Plaza.
Art Sparks pairs K-12 art students and teaching artists from the PCA's Arts in Education roster with the goal of installing a local, student-created artwork in every service plaza, system-wide, over the next five to eight years. Schools near each respective service plaza host 20-day teaching artist residencies led by a local PCA teaching artist. Students work with a teaching artist and members of the community to create artwork that reflects the region.
For more information on the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, please visit the website or follow PCA on Facebook.