The McLean Community Center hung their annual McLean pyramid art show in person for the first time since 2019, featuring art from schools in the McLean High School pyramid. Over seventy Longfellow students were represented this year.

There were a wide variety of mediums displayed at the show, including drawings, paintings, sculptures, and even digital art.

“I got two pieces into the art show,” said 8th grader Emma K., who worked on two of the book boxes, a 3-D art project.  “The first one was a dog bakery,  and the other was a group effort; it looked like a pizza shop.”

The book boxes are small wooden boxes that looked like books that students spent weeks painting and decorating with specific themes.  They are almost like little dioramas.

Projects are chosen from all art classes, but they often focus on one class. This year, the focus was on Art Extensions, an advanced art class.

Students and teachers work together to decide what makes it into the show. “It’s definitely a collaboration,” said Diana Gibson, an art teacher at Longfellow.

Although the teacher makes the final decision, students get to give input on whether their projects are displayed and what projects.

McLean Project for the Arts (MPA) hosts the event.  The projects are displayed in their main gallery in the McLean Community Center. MPA is a nonprofit organization that works with FCPS and other Virginia school districts, like Langley, on programs throughout the year.

One of MPA’s biggest programs with schools is called ArtReach. It is an outreach program that works with many FCPS schools, especially Title I schools (schools with many low-income families), to take students on art-related field trips.

The show provides a great opportunity for students to have their talent and creativity recognized.

“It felt pretty special to know that I got multiple pieces into the art show,” said Emma.