WOODBURY — The art show at Nonnewaug is an opportunity for students to showcase their portfolios and skills learned throughout the school year. This year’s concept was “Where We Shine,” which ran in the gym from June 5-7.

Leeza Desjardins, an art teacher at Nonnewaug, says that planning the setup for the show was easy due to good weather, meaning the gym was open for them to work.

“It’s not hard planning around gym classes because our [physical education] teachers are very accommodating; they let us in their classroom, and because the weather’s nice, they’re able to go outside,” Desjardins said. “If the weather is not conducive, they have a beautiful facility downstairs that was added with the renovation [the fitness room], which they are happy with using instead.”

Desjardins says the seniors come up with the concept in advance to the show, and they choose based on how their year went.

“The concept of the show was picked by the seniors,” Desjardins said. “They sit down and chat about their year, about what defines their year/four years they’ve experienced here at Nonnewaug, and they talk about what’s realistic and what they can’t do. They come up with the consensus, majority rules; some people might not be as happy, but they are on board afterwards. We go with the consensus and see where that goes from there.”

Desjardins says that senior artists are able to sell their art, a nice plus and some extra motivation to get their art ready before the show.

“Some students can sell their prints of art, and some sell the original piece, which goes for more money,” Desjardins said. “Only seniors can sell; the underclassmen will need their pieces for future portfolios if they’re going into art school. You can go right up to the artist and ask about it. They have their business cards, and a lot of them do art through commissions.”