AUBURN, Ala. – The City of Auburn Parks and Recreation Department and the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center are proud to celebrate the completion of the 27th annual Adventures in Art program. This year's theme, Adventures in Art: The Gulf, took place Aug. 31 through Sept. 4 and welcomed Auburn City Schools fifth-grade students for a week of creativity, discovery and hands-on learning.

Throughout the week, students explored the wildlife, ecosystems and natural beauty of the Gulf Coast through a variety of artistic and educational experiences. A special highlight was a visit from the educational outreach team at the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, who traveled from the Mississippi Gulf Coast to share their knowledge of the longleaf pine ecosystem and gopher tortoises. Students learned how ash from controlled burns can be transformed into printing ink, which was then used to create prints on seeded paper and became part of a collaborative forest installation.

Students also worked with ceramic technicians to create large-scale gopher tortoise murals for their schools and participated in a gallery talk featuring the Pines Series by Auburn University professor and photographer Chuck Hemard. His work showcases the remaining old-growth longleaf pine forests of the Deep South and helped students connect art, conservation and the natural world.

As we reflect on another successful year of Adventures in Art, we are grateful to the many partners who helped make the program possible. Special thanks to the Alabama State Council on the Arts, the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, the Auburn Arts Association, the Auburn Area Community Theatre, the Kreher Preserve and Nature Center, and Auburn City Schools for their continued support and commitment to art education.

For 27 years, Adventures in Art has shown what is possible when educators, artists, community organizations and environmental partners come together to inspire young learners. Thank you to everyone who helped make this year's program a memorable experience for Auburn's fifth-grade students.

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Adventures in Art is one of many programs the City of Auburn and its community partners are pleased to present for students at Auburn City Schools. Over the years, Adventures in Art has become an anticipated arts education program. For more information, contact Emillie Dombrowski, Art Education Specialist with the City of Auburn at edombrowski@auburnal.gov