St. Michael-Albertville art students from St. Michael Elementary and STMA Middle School West will be featured in a special art exhibit at the AZ Art Gallery in St. Paul this week, making them part of the St. Paul Winter Carnival.

The gallery, which opened last Friday, will have a reception for the artists, including the St. Michael-Albertville contingent, from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 27.

For some, it will be their first trip to the Winter Carnival. For all of the students at St. Michael Elementary, it will be their first trip to a privately held art gallery.

"It's exciting," said Kalli Jo, a fourth-grader at St. Michael Elementary. "I love art. I think it really makes me feel free. Like, no one is really judging you when you're drawing or painting."

The opportunity to be part of the St. Paul tradition was presented to teacher April Erickson, who teaches art to students at both schools. Erickson, who is an established artist in the Twin Cities, said she was talking to AZ Gallery curator Amy Clark when Clark said the gallery likes to procure student art for the week of the Carnival.

Clark and AZ Gallery Director Tom Reynen said they usually invite St. Paul schools to participate, but wanted to stretch out and invited new communities to participate in the special gallery.

"It's just a great opportunity for us, and a new, learning experience for the kids," Erickson said. "To be at a gallery for an opening is a pretty unique thing."

The exhibit runs through Feb. 5. Many of the Winter Carnival activities are set for this weekend and Feb. 4-5.

STME and Grade 5 MSW Students Exhibiting Artwork:

STME Grade 1: Mrs. Dahl

Line Person Drawing:

Paige Overlander  1-K

Olivia Reggin  1-Huls

Creative Hand Drawings:

Sydney Nemeth  1-Pe

Madelyn Lundeen  1-Pe

Luke Vogel  1-Pe

STME Grade 2: Ms. Erickson

Watercolor Cities:

Isabella Carlson 2-D

Megan Woitalla 2-M

Eric Carle Animal Mask:

Jakob Edlund 2-A

Rainbow Fish Drawings:

Kaelee Lindgren 2-I

Noah Parel 2-Da

STME Grade 3: Ms. Erickson

Clay Suns:

Graceine Sime 3-R

Madilynn Demo 3-B

Watercolor Self Portraits:

Elsie Covert 3-H

James Lyke 3-A

Taylor Hove 3-A

STME Grade 4: Ms. Erickson

People in Motion Drawings:

Mambo  Nde   4-H

Mariah Christensen   4-T

Shoe Drawings:

Lizzy Jones    4-Z

Kali Jo Tice  4-Z

Gavin Markley  4-S

MSW Grade 5: Ms. Erickson

Mixed Media “Stained Glass” Self-Portraits

Jackson  Walker 3-6

Wen Xuan Chen  1-7

Lauren Flakne  1-7

Alayna Fette  1-6

Michael Donwen  3-6