Little Hands, Big Imagination Exhibit Celebrates Young Artists Across Haywood County

WAYNESVILLE, NC — The Haywood County Arts Council invites the community to celebrate the creativity of Haywood County’s youngest artists at the opening reception for Little Hands, Big Imagination on Friday, March 6, from 5–8 PM at the Haywood Handmade Gallery at 86 N Main Street in Waynesville.

This special exhibit features collaborative works created by Kindergarten through 5th grade students from Haywood County public, charter, and private schools, as well as one homeschool group. Each participating school received an oversized canvas and invited students to work together to create a single piece of art representing their school community.

The opening reception will include complimentary refreshments and a hands-on map-making activity for artists of all ages led by local map maker Ken Czarnomski.

All artwork in the exhibit will be sold through an online auction, with proceeds directly benefiting the individual schools’ art programs — helping provide supplies, resources, and future creative opportunities for students.

“There is something incredibly special about seeing young students experience the pride of creating art together,” said Tonya Harwood, Executive Director of the Haywood County Arts Council. “This exhibit celebrates imagination, teamwork, and the joy of creativity, while giving our community the opportunity to directly support arts programs that inspire the next generation of artists.”

Riverbend Elementary art teacher Kellye Slate shared, “Our students created a collaborative pointillist painting of our panther mascot, with every class contributing painted dots to form one unified image. The piece reflects curiosity, hope, and the strength of our school community working together.”

Little Hands, Big Imagination will be on display from March 4 through April 13, offering visitors the opportunity to experience the imagination, teamwork, and artistic expression of Haywood County students while supporting arts education throughout the county.

Community members are encouraged to attend the reception, view the artwork, and participate in the online auction to support young artists.

Online auction link: https://givebutter.com/c/BigImagination/auction

Donation link to fund the arts in our schools https://givebutter.com/BigImagination

For more information, please contact:Haywood County Arts Council86 N Main StreetWaynesville, NC 28786director@haywoodarts.orgwww.haywoodarts.org