Grant funds art program, displays rotating works

  The June Armour Visual Arts for Students fund helped purchase two art display cases this winter to encourage student accomplishments in the arts at LHS.
 LHS first received the June Armour Visual Arts for Students fund in 2002. The fund was set up by former Lewiston resident June Armour, giving schools a greater chance to introduce high school students to the arts.
 The two art cases reside in the school library and cafeteria. Art teacher John Patterson has a number of copies of famous works cycling through the case in the library, such as its current installation, Rosso Fiorentino’s “Descent from the Cross.”  The second display, in the cafeteria, is going to show student works from Patterson’s painting class, he said. The display cases will also include a custom plaque, stating who the money is from.  
    Having this opportunity means a great deal to Patterson.
  “I share the same goal that the Armour family does, which is the promotion of the art among high school kids,” Patterson said.
  Armour was always interested in the arts and in teaching high school students about art, according to Patterson. Armour and her family created an endowment through the LIFE board (Lewiston Independent Foundation for Education). The endowment gives that money to the LHS art department every year to promote art in a high school setting. Each year Patterson proposes what he wishes to spend the money on, and the LIFE board members, along with the Armour family, review the proposal to grant funds.