Drawings of people, animals and more line the walls of the front gallery at Southern Indiana Center for the Arts.

Sketches of landscapes, cities and more are featured in a second gallery at center at 2001 N. Ewing St. in Seymour.

The Student Art Month exhibit features 165 pieces from students at Seymour High School, Trinity Lutheran High School, Seymour-Jackson Elementary School, Seymour-Redding Elementary School, Cortland Elementary School, Seymour Middle School and Lutheran Central School.

Art teachers from each school selected the pieces, which will be displayed through the end of the month, to feature.

Seymour senior Marissa Spires has several pieces of art on display.

Much of the work she completed features people, including a portrait of the band Fall Out Boy, which is one of her favorites. The band has four members, and each is featured in the piece completed by pencil.

“I think that took me about a week,” she said. “I did one person a day, and then did the fine details.”

Spires started on her works of art a couple of months ago.

Having artwork featured in a public space where people will really appreciate it is something special, she said.

“It’s really neat,” she said. “We have an art show each year, but it’s different having it in a public space that’s not run by the school, and that makes me feel nice and inspires me.”

Eric DiBlasi Jr., co-president of the arts center board, said the center is excited to share the artwork completed by young people in the community. He said it gives them a public space to share their passion.

“We’re excited to share the talent our local schools have with the community and those interested in the Southern Indiana Center for the Arts,” he said. “I think it’s something kids can be proud of knowing their work is on display in a gallery.”

It also gives family members, friends and others an opportunity to see what local schools are doing in art courses.

“We just want to encourage families to support the arts and give the community an opportunity to see what is being done in schools,” he said.

Spires has made pieces in pencil, pastel, colored pencil and charcoal.

“It’s pretty much whatever I can get my hands on,” she said.

Spires prefers colored pencils.

“They make you get down to the detail,” she said.

She also likes drawing architecture because it has to be precise, which can be a challenge.

Spires has always taken art classes but did not really dive into art until her sophomore year.

“Once I realized what I could do by putting more effort into it, I surprised myself,” she said.

She had plans to become a surgeon and was taking medical courses, but then decided she wanted to pursue art school.

Spires has already been admitted to Indiana University as an art major but is waiting to hear from a few other schools before she makes her final choice. She plans to get her degree in fine arts and minor in sculpting.

Spires said she feels she has grown since her sophomore year, doing more original projects than she used to and exploring her creativity.

“I’m starting to find my voice,” she said. “I’m starting to get out there more.”

She wants to be a concept artist, where she would design what animators will want for video games and other projects.

“They’d give me an idea, and I would make that into a reality,” she said.

Right now, she is working on a 24-by-32-inch colored pencil drawing of 12 albums from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

“It’s almost done, but it is really big,” she said.

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What: Student Art Month

When: Now until March 30

Where: Southern Indiana Center for the Arts, 2001 N. Ewing St., Seymour

Information: 812-522-2278 or facebook.com/artatsica

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