Staff and students at Foothills Composite High School are happy to see artists get recognition through the province's new Month of the Artist initiative.

January now sees the spotlight shining on artists throughout Alberta and at the Alberta High School of Fine Arts/ Foothills Composite High School, that light never turns off.

Julie Hayward, Grade 12 art student, says she feels art is generally undervalued and it's important artists are given recognition for their efforts.

"People tend to look at flashy things like sports and I think art has kind of disappeared and I think dedicating the whole month to it will let people see them work and dedication that goes into it because artists spend hours a day doing this stuff just for some people to be like 'oh that's cool' but I think with this whole month letting people see it more, it will definitely bring more attention to the work that goes into it."

Michelle Smyth, Art and Social Studies Teacher, says students shouldn't be apprehensive about taking an art class.

"Art isn't actually a skill you either have or you don't have, it's something that you can learn, you just have to train your brain so anybody can do that. I find that a lot of kids are scared to take an art class because they're not secure in their artistic capability and they're always comparing themselves with the person who is sitting next to them rather than comparing them with themselves so it's an individual journey as an artist," she explains. "You should never compare yourself to somebody else."

Felix De Alva, Grade 12 art student, says artists on a local level need to recognized.

"It's important because they're people that put a lot of work into getting to the point that they are at and It's really important to pay attention to not the ones that are famous globally but the ones that also did the same work around you in your community."

The AHSFA supports students by helping them get their art out in the community through various initiatives, including taking part in exhibits at the Leighton Arts Centre in Millarville which Hayward recently took part in.

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