Painting and drawing is just kid's stuff, but at Clark Fork Valley Hospital it's kid's stuff that helps make people feel better, according to Dr. Greg Hanson, the hospital president and CEO.

"It's something they can focus on that's outside their illness; it simply gives them joy," Hanson said of the Sanders County Arts Council's Art on the Wall Student Show. The exhibit kicked off last Thursday evening with a reception, treats and musical entertainment in the hospital foyer. Hanson said the student show is especially good for his patients because some of the younger kids create funny pieces that make his patients smile. "They say laughter is the best medicine," Hanson said.

One hundred and twenty-six students, kindergarten through seniors, from Hot Springs, Plains and home schools, have their artwork on display along the hospital's Main Street Hallway. Art wasn't the only kid participation at the show. It was kids who took care of the entertainment at the reception, with musical pieces on the piano by Chloe and Lydia French and Rachel and Claire Wrobleski. In addition, a dozen children from Denise Montgomery's first-grade class entertained the crowd with a patriotic melody and first-grader Jackson Revier gave the group a brief history of the American flag. Even the snacks were done by the younger generation with finger foods presented by Linda Knight's consumer sciences class, formerly home economics.

"This is an exciting time of the year to display the art of our kids," Hanson said in his opening remarks of the reception. He noted that CEOs from other hospitals have commended him for showcasing local artists. "It's fun to see the kids' presentations over the years. You can see their skills develop," said Hanson, who's in his 10th year as CEO.

The Art on the Walls program also began 10 years ago after Gayle Keeny, a hospital patient and a member of the Arts Council, was walking the halls and noticed the bare walls. She asked hospital officials about highlighting artists' work and the program was born, though the first student show didn't come until 2009. The student show will be up until March 19. Once a quarter, the council and the hospital exhibit the work of artists from around the county. Artists may sell their pieces, but the hospital and council get a percentage of the sale. During each quarter, visitors cast their votes for their favorite work. Andrea Fernandez of Thompson Falls won last quarter with a mixed media piece titled "Beachy."

"There's some really beautiful art there," said Joy Nelson, vice president of the Arts Council and one of the coordinators of the quarterly show. "The community really loves it and the little ones like to see their art hanging on the wall." She was specifically impressed with the work of Case Johnston, a home-schooled ninth-grader who had three oil paintings in the show. Johnston was one of only 13 students to put his work up for sale this time.

Mikayla Mueller, a senior, was the only Hot Springs student to participate in the show this year. She had two acrylics and a graphite/watercolor in the show. Five home-school students took part. The rest were from Plains School. The students demonstrated a variety of talents with work in water color, graphite, crayon, pastel, texture, ink, charcoal, and mixed media. The students had 158 pieces of art exhibited. Nelson said she loved Katie Hillerman's kindergarten students' "Catching Snowflakes" paper art pieces.

Most of the them contributed only one piece, but several of the high school students had two or three on display. Plains junior Malachi Paulsen had two graphite works and a graphite/colored pencil piece he named "Patriotic" depicting Joe Rosenthal's photograph of "Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima." It took Paulsen more than 60 hours to complete his work of the famous image.

Paulsen has been an artist for about six years, but this is the first time he's entered colored art in the student exhibit. He works mostly with graphite because he likes the black and white medium.

"I thought color would look neat on this one because of the color in the American flag. I think it makes it pop," said Paulsen, who added the Pledge of Allegiance words to the art because he thought it would make it more patriotic. Paulsen nabbed the People's Choice Award in the 2017 show with his graphite "Faces of Adversity."

"He's one of those people who could really make money with his art. He's got amazing talent," said Plains High School Principal Kevin Meredith, whose two children have work in the exhibit. Kristen Cole, who teaches art to the junior high and high school students at Plains, said she's always impressed with her students' work.

    "I believe it does build their confidence," said Cole. "I've witnessed it in art in general. One of the reasons I enjoy teaching it. Art process is such a positive experience." Cole doesn't require her students to participate in the hospital show, but encourages them to do so. A few of her past students have gone on to professional art careers. One became an architect, another a designer and three are teaching art at public schools.

The students start preparing for the show at the start of the school year.

Ed Moreth

SEMPER FI – Will Tatum, 12, takes a look at Malachi Paulsen's graphite/colored pencil drawing of "Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima" during the Sanders County Arts Council's Art on the Walls Student Show at Clark Fork Valley Hospital.

"They have nice stuff every year and each student brings something new to the classroom," said Cole, who teaches beginner to advanced art classes. She is pleased that the Arts Council sets aside a quarter for students' art work. "This is the only K-12 show we have here. It's an opportunity for them to showcase their work." Plains School holds an annual art show for the older kids, which will take place May 7-9 this year.