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Lake Forest school's fine arts show goes on

For the second year in a row, COVID-19 has modified – but not canceled – Woodlands Academy's end-of- year celebration of the arts.

Woodlands Academy’s Gloria Dei Center provided a beautiful venue for this year’s Fine Arts Evening, open to viewing only by students, faculty and staff due to COVID-19. Shown in the foreground is an acrylic painting by senior Safia Karimi.
Woodlands Academy’s Gloria Dei Center provided a beautiful venue for this year’s Fine Arts Evening, open to viewing only by students, faculty and staff due to COVID-19. Shown in the foreground is an acrylic painting by senior Safia Karimi. (Woodlands Academy)

For the second year in a row, COVID-19 has modified – but not canceled – Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart’s end-of-the-year celebration of the arts.

Last year, when the school was in a full-time remote learning mode, Fine Arts Evening was entirely online. All student artwork and musical performances were shown virtually. Usually, the event is held at the school and open to the public.

With the return to in-person classroom learning for the 2020-21 term, this year’s Fine Arts Evening was open to the Woodlands Academy community at the school’s Gloria Dei Center from May 18-20. It was not open to the public due to the pandemic.

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On May 20, Fine Arts Evening drew to a close with the opening of an online virtual gallery space that can be viewed at https://artspaces.kunstmatrix.com/en/exhibition/5416224/2021-woodlands-academy-fine-arts-evening through May 25. It features the same student artwork and music recordings showcased during the Gloria Dei exhibition in a compelling online format.

This was the first time the building that previously housed the former Barat College’s library showcased this annual display of Woodlands Academy student art and musical talent. Also new was the Fine Arts Department’s decision to have a central theme for all content. This year’s inaugural theme was “water.” For example, the recorded selections by the Sophie’s Singers choir and Woodlands Academy Orchestra were “Songs of the Water.”

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Looking ahead to next year, organizers anticipate being able to once again welcome the public to share in-person a Fine Arts Evening of student artwork and live concert performances by the school’s choirs and orchestra.

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Founded in 1858, Woodlands Academy is an independent Catholic college preparatory day and boarding high school for young women. It’s part of a worldwide network of Sacred Heart Schools that spans the United States and 40 other countries. A nonprofit, Woodlands Academy’s identity is rooted in Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat’s desire to inspire young hearts and minds to excel, to lead lives of integrity and to serve. For more information about Woodlands Academy, please visit www.woodlandsacademy.org.

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