DVISD elementary art displayed in Rep. Lulu Flores’ office at Texas Capitol

Elementary students across Del Valle ISD will have their artwork featured at the Texas Capitol in Rep. Lulu Flores’ office. 

DVISD Fine Arts Coordinator Joe Rush delivered the artwork to Rep. Flores, who represents Del Valle, so the art would be displayed for all visitors to see. The artwork included a variety of creative self-portraits, themes of ancient civilizations, wildlife, abstract pieces, and more. 

A staunch supporter of the arts, Rep. Flores was excited to display the student creations.

“We'll be showcasing it because it's just a great way to show appreciation for the kids' creativity and also recognizing the school district for its work and promoting art education,” Rep. Flores said. “Folks will be exposed to this work, and it actually brings joy into people; it moves your heart when you see the art.” 

Both Rep. Flores and Joe highlighted the importance of the arts and having kids explore their creativity through it in the classroom to complement their academics. 

“Visual arts teach children that there is more than one correct way to convey an idea. Each piece, even when given the same prompt and parameters, is unique because of the wide array of perspectives that go into its creation,” Joe said. “Words are not needed to communicate in the world of visual arts, yet each masterpiece is capable of generating a thousand words from admirers during its time on the wall.”

Rep. Flores served on the House Committee of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism, which oversees the Texas Commission on the Arts and the Texas Historical Commission. Her support of the arts goes further back, however, as she served on the City of Austin Arts Commission for 12 years and served as its chair for three of those years. 

“A big part of my beliefs is that having more arts education in schools is important because art is a really great tool for learning,” Rep. Flores said. “People learn in different ways, and there's a lot of creative minds out there that maybe get stifled by traditional education. So art is a great way to release creativity and feeds the soul.”

Fine arts are part of the curriculum at all schools, starting in elementary. Early on, students are learning about art, music, and theater and get hands-on experience to develop and cultivate their creativity. With the guidance of DVISD’s excellent visual arts educators, students have crafted art that has been displayed in various locations throughout the region. Rep. Flores’ office is just the latest stop. 

“The Visual Arts program is strong in Del Valle ISD, and that's due to the incredible talent leading art classes and the amazing students in the classrooms,” Joe said. “Del Valle art has been displayed in multiple state, region, city, district, and campus events in 2022-23. We are proud to be a part of Rep. Flores' space in the state capitol, and we look forward to working together in allowing our young students to continue making the world a more beautiful place!” 

Now, along with the various pieces of art hanging in Rep. Flores’ office, the work of DVISD’s own elementary students will adorn the walls in the coming months for visitors to see.