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Students from Albert Lea Area Schools as well as United Preschool will have their artwork displayed at Albert Lea Art Center starting this week for the first time in-person since before the pandemic.

Raissa Hinueber, high school art teacher, said there is not a title or theme to the show.

“Just celebrating what people have invested — time, energy and care — creating, both students and teachers guiding the process,” Hinueber said.

Hinueber said many of the art teachers within the district chose around 50 pieces, and she chose around 100.

“From my own perspective, I look for variety and assortment among many different projects, many different classes,” she said.

There are a variety of mediums, including drawings, sculptures, mixed media, digital art and paintings, something she said was important to have. Some students started working on their pieces back in August, though Hinueber was still collecting items as late as last week.

And doing this has helped remind her how creative her students are, noting students surprised her with what they put into their work.

“By giving them some choice in subject matter process, it’s always surprising and unique what they’re determined to create,” she said.

Andrea Harves, the art teacher at Hawthorne Elementary School, estimated 75 students participated at her building in the show, which she has had students participate in for over 20 years.

“The kids are so excited to have their piece featured in the art show, and they are just beaming with happiness,” she said. “That’s always so fun to see that, that they’re so proud that they get the letter saying that they have a piece of art in the art show.”

Like Hinueber, Harves will also display student work in a variety of mediums.

“We have paper, we have clay, we have paint, we have tinfoil, we have leaves, we have oil crayons,” she said, adding there are actual candy sprinkles attached to a picture of an ice cream sundae.

Her favorite piece: a self portrait from years ago.

“It looked just like him,” she said. “I mean, it was amazing. He was in fourth grade and he actually won the Hawthorne Hall of Fame, and when he came back to get the picture when he was in 12th grade, the picture still looked just like him. It was amazing.”

Having shows since at least 1995, Hinueber has learned to expect things to change.

The show opens Sunday and will run through May 2, with an open house at the Art Center from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday.