Art students at Hays Middle School transformed the hallway into a rainforest for this year’s Art Glow Show, complete with music, fog, and vibrant, student-made creations. Led by art teacher Michelle Cobb, the event was an immersive experience that blended creativity, collaboration, and sustainability.
Students in grades 6–8 spent weeks bringing their ideas to life, using materials like recycled water bottles and paper mâché to create everything from flowers and 3D frogs to bold, colorful drawings enhanced by different combinations of neon paints, oil pastels and watercolors. Mrs. Cobb wanted the experience to feel hands-on and meaningful — something that celebrated not only art, but the process of experimenting and learning along the way.
“I like digging in deep with each kid and finding out their creative story,” Cobb said. “How can they show their creativity in the work that they do? I celebrate that every day. Every student is different, and it’s just fun to watch them grow and see their personality in everything that they do.”
For their first project of the school year, students explored an underwater theme inspired by artist Yayoi Kusama, incorporating her famous polkadots and patterns into their artwork. That project helped set the stage for the rainforest showcase, where students were encouraged to build on those skills and express their own creative style.
For seventh grader Jack Stocking, the project was a chance to make something personal.
“I chose to take art because I love being creative and working with these different colors,” he said. “I chose to draw a red panda because my sister loves them, and I thought it’d be fun for her to be able to see that.”
To make the event interactive, Mrs. Cobb designed large paper mâché letters spelling out Art Show, placing them throughout the exhibit to guide visitors through a gallery walk. Staff and students were encouraged to share which pieces stood out to them — sparking conversations and connections across the school.
The Art Glow Show reminded us that art isn’t just about what you create, it’s about what you discover along the way.