The Liriodendron is a well know historic property in Bel Air, perhaps best known for hosting weddings or serving as a shoot location for the Netflix series, House of Cards. The Georgian Revival home was constructed in the late 1800’s and served as a summer home to Dr. Howard Kelly, founding member of the Johns Hopkins Medical College, and his wife Laetitia.
This month, the Liriodendron Art Gallery, located in the spacious second story of the home, will feature works by over 150 Harford County Public School students from grades K-12 and Exploration Art School. The exhibit will showcase approximately 81 works of art from 25 of the public schools throughout Harford County.
Homestead Wakefield art teacher, Jen Byrne, has worked with the Liriodendron to coordinate the second annual exhibit and is excited about the number of participants this year. “The exhibit shows the continuum of art education in Harford County,” said Ms. Byrne. “Because the show features students from kindergarten through twelfth grade, it shows where the students are early on in their education and you can see where they are by the time they leave the program in twelfth grade.” This kind of exhibit shows the true value of arts education in our County.
A special part of the exhibit was provided by Forest Lakes Elementary School students, under the direction of art teacher Heather Johnson. The students worked on a collaborative collection of pieces that will be featured in the Young Artists’ Showcase before finding their permanent home at Harford Glen. A series of 12 metal mailboxes were painted by the students and include subject matter that supports the curriculum at Harford Glen.
In addition to the gallery exhibit, each Sunday will feature a musical performance from a Harford County Public School group. The Bel Air High School Pop Choir will kick things off on March 12th. Ms. Byrne states that the exhibit promotes the child as an artist and calls the exhibit a “great marriage between the visual and performing arts.” The exhibit will be open from March 12th through April 9th, 2017 and the gallery hours are Sundays from 1-4pm and Wednesdays from 1-7pm. An opening reception will be held on Sunday, March 12th. The Liriodendron is located at 502 West Gordon Street in Bel Air.
