The Art Show

This past Friday I attended an art show at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Regional School, the school attended by my three children. The art show was held as a fund raising activity for the school, which we try to support in any way possible. In the past, we have attended art shows at the school, in which the work of a variety of local artists have been featured. Beautiful pieces purchased at these shows now hang on the walls of our home. But this most recent show was different, and this is because the artists featured were particularly gifted and special; they were our own children! Teaming up with the "Kids Art" foundation, St. Elizabeth, or SEAS as the school is fondly known, presented art work created by each student in the school. Each grade had a theme in which the students individually expressed their creativity and unique talents. The paintings were then matted and framed by Kids Art, in preparation for the show. As I entered the school gym, endless displays of the most magnificent art work greeted me; one more spectacular than the next. But there were three masterpieces which really stole the show: Alex's "Sailboat at Sunset," Sami's "Happy Butterfly," and Aidan's "Crazy Space Dinosaur." Needless to say, as the proud mom I am, I was moved to tears! As I sit in my den admiring my newly acquired art work I think to myself, "I know exactly how Picasso's mom felt!"

Vocabulary:

1. fund raising: an activity to earn money or donations
2. variety: a group containing different items or choices
3. featured: put on display, or singled out
4. teaming up: working together
5. masterpiece: one's best work

Use the vocabulary words to complete the following sentences:

1. The Mona Lisa was Leonardo da Vinci's _____________.

2. The story he wrote was ____________ in the school newspaper.

3. The church relies on _____________ to cover their renovation expenses.

4. Betty and Sue are _____________ to work on a project together.

5. The restaurant had a wide ____________ of entrees to choose from.

Grammar Point: The Passive Voice

In the passive voice, the subject of the sentence is neither a do-er or a be-er, but is acted upon by some other agent or by something unnamed. In the passage above, there are several instances in which the passive voice is used, including the following example:

"The paintings were then matted and framed by Kids Art, in preparation for the show."

In the active voice, this sentence might read as follows:

"Kids Art matted and framed the paintings in preparation for the show."

See if you can find other examples, and try changing them from the passive to the active voice.