Thursday, October 1, 2026
More than 100 students and family members filled the Franklin Square Historical Museum to celebrate the Franklin Square Union Free School District's annual student art exhibition, where young artists had the opportunity to see their work displayed in a museum setting.
The exhibition, held on June 16, had families lining up down the sidewalk of the museum throughout the evening. The exhibit featured artwork from students throughout the district and transformed the museum into a gallery showcasing paintings, drawings, clay creations and more. Families walked through the exhibits, admiring the work and celebrating the students' artistic accomplishments.
"It is like a family evening, it is wonderful," said Julie Soffientini, a member of the Franklin Square Historical Society.
The event provided students with a unique opportunity to exhibit their artwork outside of the classroom and share it with the broader community.
Among the featured pieces was a collaborative Zentangle artwork created by sixth-grade students at John Street School under the guidance of art teacher Christine Randazzo. The piece marked the students' second large-scale Zentangle project and was the result of months of planning and work.
Randazzo said that this is their second collaborative piece. Their first piece displayed more intricate patterns in black and white, while this time around the Zentangles formed into a plotted plant.
According to Randazzo, the students took the lead in developing the project after completing an earlier Zentangle artwork.
"They decided on a plan," she said. She said the students approached her, added another group member and came in with the plant idea. They sat down one day and mapped everything out.
Randazzo said the students devoted significant time to the project, often working on it several times each week during recess and in the mornings.
"They worked so hard on this, I mean, they are amazing," she said.
According to Randazzo, the project demonstrates skills that extend beyond artistic creativity.
"Not that many people understand that this is math, science, creativity, because they did this all without a mistake," Randazzo said. "Every single line was without a mistake."
They just did it on pen and paper and talked out the design.
Student artist Sophie DiPiazza discussed her artwork, telling the Herald that she enjoys putting together clay creations the most.
"I like to take different shapes and put them together," she said.
Second-grade students had their drawings of ice cream featured in the exhibit, as well as portraits inspired by artist Amedeo Modigliani. The project, titled "The Eyes Are the Window to the Soul," featured figures with dark almond-shaped eyes, long noses and small lips, characteristics commonly found in Modigliani's work.
The exhibition highlighted not only students' artistic talents but also the dedication, creativity and collaboration that went into each piece. For one evening, the museum provided young artists with the chance to see their work displayed in a professional gallery setting and celebrated by the community.
