Our Sisters' School lit up Buttonwood Park last week with their art. Here's why.

Matthew Ferreira, The Standard-Times
Updated ·4 min read

NEW BEDFORD — Considering the weather on just about any other evening recently, Our Sisters' School couldn't have picked a colder night than the one chosen last week to unveil their "Community Lights The World" art installation at Buttonwood Park.

"We knew it was going to be a cold night," OSS STEAM teacher and Creativity Director Tobey Eugenio said, noting temperatures in the 20s at the park the night of Feb. 29.

However, that was just perfect, Eugenio said, as bringing the warm glow of the exhibit's light-based art installations to such a frigid evening "was kind of the point."

"We wanted to bring the community together when it's darkest and coldest. It can be kind of lonely-feeling this time of year," Eugenio said, mentioning organizers had passed on more obvious ideas like creating the exhibit as a holiday light display.

Apparently, the opportunity to gather and view art that cold evening was well-received, Eugenio said, with a turnout of around 150-200 people.

The project, primarily funded by NB Creative's "Art is Everywhere" grant, was done with help from OSS community partners Friends of Buttonwood, New Bedford Department of Parks and Recreation, and New Bedford Research & Robotics.

Eugenio said the OSS students' art pieces were largely inspired by a quote from U.S. youth poet laureate Amanda Gorman, from her poem "The Hill We Climb": "For there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it, if only we’re brave enough to be it."

"So through that the kids started thinking about how to express this idea of being a light for others," Eugenio said, noting planning began back in August. Contacts at the New Bedford Department of Parks & Recreation and Friends of Buttonwood Park helped come up with a location for the display, she said, while the latter also contributed some supplies.

Collaborative efforts helped make 'Community Lights' happen

To create the pieces they thought up, the OSS students had help from New Bedford Research & Robotics, which lent a hand on 3D printing; and Friends of Buttonwood Park President Richard Leary, whose engineering background came in handy when it came to wiring lights and incorporating them into the art, Eugenio said.

"He [Leary] volunteered every Wednesday to come in and support our students by working with them," Eugenio said.

Lia, Grade 8, works with Our Sisters' School community partner, Friends of Buttonwood Park President Richard Leary, on the wiring for one of the light displays in the community light exhibit shown at Buttonwood Park on Feb. 29.
Lia, Grade 8, works with Our Sisters' School community partner, Friends of Buttonwood Park President Richard Leary, on the wiring for one of the light displays in the community light exhibit shown at Buttonwood Park on Feb. 29.

For their contribution, OSS fifth graders created a video which played in the background at the event, Eugenio said, while sixth graders made 3D-printed light lanterns which hung over the event from the trees, and grades 7-8 made interactive exhibits based on their own original ideas.

Those pieces included the "Light Selfie Wall" which created an outline of colorful light around people for photo opps, and the 3D-printed "Unity Sculpture" — a geodesic dome structure displaying various "words of unity" submitted by students from OSS, New Bedford High, and the Hathaway and Ashley elementary schools.

OSS students speak

"We were working with time constraints and a lot of pressure so I think what we did with the amount of time that we had was fantastic," said Miyuki, an OSS seventh grader.

"This event was important because it showed how different people’s ideas and interests can bring people together," said Zoe, Grade 6. "We shared our creativity to impact the community."

A couple of young visitors to the Community Lights The World exhibit at Buttonwood Park on Feb. 29 take in the "Unity Sculpture" art installation.
A couple of young visitors to the Community Lights The World exhibit at Buttonwood Park on Feb. 29 take in the "Unity Sculpture" art installation.

"It was fun because we got to show the world how OSS and our community can come together and bring joy and also chill out," said Jayel, Grade 5.

Fifth grader Juliana said the experience of "seeing everyone shining" was "special" to her.

OSS teacher looks to build upon success

Eugenio said the success of last week's event further solidified the idea to make "Community Lights The World" an annual effort.

"This one was only able to stay up for that day ... but our hope is to do some version of this every year," Eugenio said, also noting the art installations themselves may be donated for continued use around the community.

"We always look for chances to have our students doing real work in the community that makes an impact, and I think from the reactions they received, we saw they were successful in that."

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: OSS looks forward to another chance to 'Light The Community'