Eighth grade art students from William Floyd Middle School and William Paca Middle School visited the New York Botanical Gardens in the Bronx to experience the "Van Gogh’s Flowers" exhibit. The exhibition featured botanical displays and large-scale artworks inspired by Vincent Van Gogh, focusing on the flowers that influenced his art.
During their visit, students engaged with the artwork by documenting and sketching some of their favorite pieces. A notable highlight for many was seeing large sculptural sunflowers displayed on a lawn, which were intended to evoke feelings of peace and joy among visitors.
Timothy Kosta, an art teacher at William Floyd Middle School, commented on the educational value of the trip. “This trip gave students a view of Vincent Van Gogh’s unforgettable world of art and nature in real time,” said Kosta.
The group included students from classes taught by Timothy Kosta and Stephanie Laughlin-Taisler at William Floyd Middle School, as well as Jillian Santoro and Marco Antenucci at William Paca Middle School. The school district expects that this exposure will encourage student-artists to pursue their own creative projects.