From First Brushstrokes to Senior Portfolios, the All School Art Show Illustrates the Full Arc of an ESD Artist's Journey
November 6, 2026
Within the walls of the Jennifer and John Eagle Family Gallery at The Episcopal School of Dallas (ESD), beginners’ bold, joyful brushstrokes hang just a few steps from a senior’s carefully composed studio piece. Between two displays stretches nearly 15 years of learning, experimenting, and discovering, but the special guests at this year's All School Art Show, Look at This Thing!, shared one story. The annual exhibition gathers student work from all three divisions into a single space, offering a rare chance to see the full arc of an ESD artist's journey at a glance.
"The All School Art Show is a special annual tradition here at ESD," said Jordan Hale, Lower School Art teacher. "Visual Arts teachers across all three divisions select student artists to be featured as we bring together one campus, one community. Students feel honored to be selected, and parents, friends, and families are very supportive of this recognition."
While the final display may be in the Eagle Family Gallery, the show really begins in the classroom. In Lower School, Hale and Early Childhood Art teacher Amber Stautzenberger each select one student from every class they teach. In Middle School, Middle School Sculpture and Ceramics teacher Zach Allen and Middle School 2D Studio Art teacher Christy O’Neal choose artists from their courses. Upper School faculty members Eagle Family Visual Arts Department Chair and Upper School Fine Arts teacher Dane Larsen, Upper School Ceramics and Pottery teacher Nathan Williams, Upper School 2D Studio Art teacher Juan Negroni, and Upper School Photography teacher and 2D Art, Design, and Content Creation Network Coordinator Lynda González then select students from their own studio courses. The result is a collection as varied as the students who made it, spanning a wide range of styles, techniques, and media.
An Evening of Celebration
When the doors opened, the mood was warm and celebratory. Families moved from piece to piece, young artists pointed proudly to their names on the wall, and older students lingered over the work of classmates and younger peers alike. Among the guests were John and Jennifer Eagle P’03,’16 G’35,’38 whose generosity made the gallery possible. Larsen had the chance to thank them personally for the space, and the family could see firsthand the creativity it makes room for.
Joining them was their daughter, Alexandra Eagle ’16, an accomplished photography alumna, who was delighted to meet González, one of today's Upper School studio teachers. In a lovely bit of serendipity, the Art Around Campus Committee had just rehung one of Alex’s photographs from ESD's permanent collection upstairs in the Frank, a subconscious reminder that the story of an ESD artist doesn’t end at graduation.
For the teachers who make the show happen, the evening carries a particular kind of joy: the chance to see how far their students have come.
"I really enjoy seeing the growth of artistic skill from students I previously taught in Lower School," Hale said.
From first brushstrokes to senior portfolios, and from current students to alumni whose work still graces campus walls, the All School Art Show remains a vivid portrait of what ESD has always been: one campus, one community, and one remarkable canvas.
