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Northwestern Lehigh students unveil quilts and murals from artist‑in‑residence programs
Summary
Students at Northwestern Lehigh showcased a community-focused quilt and a multi-piece tiger mural created with visiting artists funded in part by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and local foundation support.
At the Northwestern Lehigh School District board meeting, teachers and students presented finished works from two recent artist‑in‑residence programs that involved kindergarten through fifth‑grade students.
Presenter Miss Moyer described a spring 2025 fiber‑artist residency funded in part through a Pennsylvania Council on the Arts grant that paired visiting fiber artist Kelly Rissel with students to research local landmarks and translate those sites into stitched panels that now comprise a lobby tapestry. Rebecca Kelly (via a recorded introduction) said students used research and Google Earth to locate community features and then transferred designs onto fabric, adding that "it was an extraordinary experience of collaboration of all of the grades in your school." The tapestry and other student pieces are installed in the school lobby and are on public view.
The board also viewed work from a shorter fall 2025 residency by artist Ralph Maciello focused on a tiger mural near the library. Miss Moyer said the mural was assembled from dozens of student‑created pieces (she estimated the installation comprised roughly 300 individual pieces for some displays and about 40 cut components for the tiger), with each class contributing parts of the final composition. She thanked parents and the district foundation for financial and volunteer support that enabled the residencies.
Miss Moyer recognized several students by name for leadership in the projects and presented certificates to outstanding participants. The board received the presentation with no subsequent policy decisions; staff and family members were encouraged to photograph the work and see it in person.
The presentations highlight sustained arts programming in the district supported by grant funding and the local foundation; board members noted the value of hands‑on arts experiences and the visibility that permanent installations bring to student work.
