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Klager 1st grader artwork shown in Lansing and recognized with award!

Noelle Barber, a first grader at Klager Elementary School, with her artwork, a needle-felted reimagining of Georgia O’Keeffe Red Canna, which was displayed at Michigan Department of Education “Masterpiece Reimagined” event in Lansing last month. She was selected for special recognition. Photo courtesy of Theresa Herron.

submitted by Luther C. Klager Elementary School

“Masterpiece Reimagined” was an event held recently by the Michigan Department of Education, Resource for Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Michigan students in grades K–12 with a hearing difference were asked to reimagine a piece of art that they liked, using any medium they wanted. The resulting art pieces were then displayed at a gallery space in Lansing, on May 2, 2026. Noelle Barber, a first grader at Klager Elementary School in Manchester, worked with her speech language pathologist (SLP), Theresa Herron, and her art teacher, Andrea Worthing, to create an art piece for the event.��

Noelle chose a painting by Georgia O’Keeffe called Red Canna as her inspiration for the project. When the team (student, SLP, and teacher) were discussing different art media, Herron showed them some pictures of a landscape photograph that she was recreating in wool, using a technique called needle felting, or wool painting. For that technique, pieces of wool roving are placed on fabric and then a felting needle is poked through the wool and fabric numerous times to make the wool stick. Noelle asked to try it and liked it, so Herron assembled the materials and they were off. Noelle worked on it after school and during some inside recess times, with the help of Herron and/or Worthing across several weeks. Once she had the last bits of wool in place, Worthing adhered it to some canvas so it could be displayed, and mailed it to Lansing for the event.��

Noelle proudly displayed the ribbon that she won, explaining that she was “one of four people that got a ribbon,” and then presented her project to the Manchester Community Schools Board of Education at their meeting on May 19. Theresa Herron conducted a short interview with Noelle after the meeting.��

Interview with Noelle

by Theresa Herron

What was your favorite part of the art project?��

Finishing it. I was happy—my arm was tired. It took a long time.��

How did you learn what to do?

You taught me with a small one, and then we did a bigger one for my art project. It was fun, but it took a really, really long time.��

How did you choose what art to imitate?

Mrs. Worthing helped me. We looked at some books. Then she found pictures we could look at on the smartboard. I liked the flowers best and then we found one that I liked.��

What do you know about the artist?��

It probably took them less time to make their art. (laughing) Her name is Georgia O’Keeffe.

Who came with you to Lansing?

My mom, my dad, my sister, my grandma and grandpa, my aunts and uncles, and three of my cousins!��

What other art did you see there?��

I got to look at a couple, but I tried to find mine first. There were a couple of Spider-man ones.��

Will you do more art?��

Yes, more needle felting. Maybe a bird next.��

What advice would you give to other students, if they want to do a project like Masterpiece Reimagined?��

I would tell them they have to be brave, there gonna be a lot of talking there, it might be loud. And you’re going to have support, like you and Mrs. Worthing.��

(Note: The terms “hearing loss” and “hearing impairment” are not universally supported by the Deaf community—for kids like Noelle, there has been no “loss” of hearing, and many don’t see their differences as an impairment. The more accepted terminology right now is “hearing difference,” as it takes away the judgment about how impaired a person might be.)

Noelle needle felting. Photo courtesy of Theresa Herron.

Noelle artwork next to a print of the original. Photo courtesy of Theresa Herron.

by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and a founder of the Manchester Mirror.