Art Across the Island

Over 6,500 works of student art have been displayed since Art Across the Island began in 2016. Every Alameda public school has participated in the program and locations including small businesses such as Books Inc., Lilac Dress Boutique, See Spot Run, all three of our city libraries, the College of Alameda library and the K Gallery at Rhythmix Cultural Works.

In 2018, Art Beyond Our Island sent 300 pieces of student artwork to schools impacted by the Camp Fire.

Please stop by and view student art at these locations:

The exhibit, Hidden and Revealed, includes prints of paper maché masks by Lincoln Middle School students and poetry by students at ACLC, Alameda High School, Encinal Middle School and Island High School. From ancient times, masks have told stories of the strong and of those who have been vanquished. Drawing on this history, Lincoln students made masks that combined power, humor and vulnerability. Poetry is an intimate form of literature, where sentence fragments reveal the writer’s feelings and insights. The high school poetry was part of AEF’s 2026 Poetry Slam, Where I Live. To round out the exhibit, the Junior Jets created ZINES filled with words and art.
Thanks goes to Lincoln Middle School’s Ron Johnson, Alameda High School’s Lisa Piazza, Encinal Jr. & Sr. High School's Victoria Traverso, and Island High School’s Amy Haines and everyone at ACLC who contributed to the success of the school’s Poetry Club.

Location: Second Floor, The Main Library
1550 Oak Street
On Display Until: August 10, 2026

Poems by Edison 3rd Grade Students
Classroom Teacher: Jennifer Howell

Edison 3rd grade students in Ms. Howell’s class have been working on a poetry unit, which tied in to the Poetry Slam hosted by AEF. Students learned about poetry and then created their own poems, taking inspiration from our beautiful little island to write about topics like Lincoln Park, the Alameda Free Library, the turkeys, the beach, SubPar, South Shore, and more local favorites. Some of these students came to the Poetry Slam in March to read their poems in front of an audience. Then, all students were invited to add an illustration, bringing their poems to life visually.

Location: First Floor, The Main Library
1550 Oak Street
On Display Until: May 31, 2026

Dinosaurs by Bay Farm 2nd Grade Students
Classroom Teacher: Daniel Baselj
Art Teacher: Bryce Winkler

Bay Farm 2nd grade students created these observational works, taking inspiration from the Blue Horses paintings by Marc Franz. Students were offered plastic dinosaurs to create an observational drawing. They added an abstract background, then painted their drawings with watercolors to create these vibrant and cheerful dinosaurs.

Location: Bay Farm Island Library,
3221 Mecartney Rd
On Display Until: June 30, 2026

Houses by NEA 2nd Grade Students
Art Teacher: Susie McKee
Classroom Teacher: Sarah Singer

NEA 2nd Graders created these whimsical 3-D houses as part of a broader unit on “Trash to Treasure.” Created entirely out of discarded and recycled materials from the community, students were invited to cut out a cardboard house. They wrapped yarn around their cardboard, then used materials like fabric, buttons, ribbon, and silk flowers to create all the beautiful and inventive details. Since there are two classes worth of the same art project, we swap them in a month to make sure both classes are highlighted for their hard work.

Location: West End Library,
788 Santa Clara Ave.
On Display Until: July 1, 2026

Horses by Edison 1st Grade Students
Classroom Teacher: Jacqueline Smith
Art Teacher: Ellis Teare

Edison first graders learned about puppet-making and art that moves by crafting these jointed horses. They engaged in the symbolism of the Year of the Horse, talking about how horses represent strength, perseverance, and confidence. They also studied the many different coats and patterns that horses can have. Working within a realistic color palette, the students carefully cut, painted, and assembled their horses. Their projects turned out so beautifully diverse, and the class was thrilled to look at them all together as a herd.

Location: See Spot Run,
1320 Park Street
On Display Until: July 14, 2026