High Point Market Provides Greater Exposure for Teachers’ Artwork

Two teachers who share inspiration and creativity with their students each day earned exposure for their personal artwork from a broader audience during High Point Market.

Westchester Country Day School teachers Victoria Bailess and Ellen McEnaney were featured artists in showrooms at the spring home furnishings trade show. Bailess, who teaches art to grades 6-12, displayed her Greek-inspired paintings at Splashworks, while McEnaney, a first grade teacher, showed off her resin floral arrangements at Verellen. Both showrooms have connections to Westchester families.

The teachers have shared their creative talents within the school community for some time and are excited for their work to gain more exposure.

“I'm so thankful for the opportunity to share my personal work with a wider audience and to have valuable experiences that will help me better prepare my art students for future creative careers,” said Bailess.

Bailess’ art is a collection of watercolor paintings in which she has interpreted symbols, architecture, and landscapes of her Greek heritage. Her original paintings were digitized and reproduced by Splashworks on fabric canvases in various framed sizes.

McEnaney describes her E Blooms as “handcrafted art straight from the garden.” She collects flowers and natural materials from her own yard and suspends them in resin, preserving their beauty forever. Her designs stand alone as centerpieces or table décor and can even hang on a wall or form the top of a side table.

The Westchester mission inspires students and faculty to seek personal development in moral character, academics, the arts and athletics and to view learning as an enjoyable, lifelong pursuit. As a result, the faculty of WCDS includes teachers who are active in their craft and bring that experience into their classrooms, where students gain real-world perspective. This includes teachers who are published authors, musicians and actors in community ensembles and productions, connected within the film industry, and more.