Sketches with pencils, a splash of paint on a canvas, the click of a camera while taking photos:
The list extends far beyond these three ways of expressing oneself because the beauty of art is that it comes in many forms. Earlier this month, on April 2, McIntosh hosted its annual art show. The art show is the culmination of artworks that have been procured by members of the student body; It is a compilation of all of the time and effort that students have put forth into their work.
During the art show, student artists get the opportunity to show off pieces that they have been working on throughout the year. This year, the process was organized by new art teacher Heidi Brown and students who volunteered their time to help with the event. This is not Brown’s first art show, however, it is the first one she has conducted at the high school level.
“I did [coordinate other art shows at my old school.] It was stressful for a totally different reason. I did a school wide, framed art show. It was one of these companies that framed the work, but it was hard to make sure that all 750 kids got their work [put up.] This is a lot more fun because it’s something that these kids want to do. They have done so much of the work. In fact, I couldn’t do it without so many [volunteers.] Even students that aren’t in art have come in and offered to help [like] art club and it’s been awesome,” Brown said.
The art show took time and effort to set up. Students from all levels of art are encouraged to submit their work and students taking AP 2D Design also get to showcase the many pieces that they have been making to compile the portfolios that will be submitted on the day of their AP exam. Before the art show, some students spent time in the art room putting finishing touches on their pieces. Panels were prepared and moved to be set up in the media center.
“Setting up wise, it’s just moving the art boards and all the pieces into the library and then setting up the conversational area in front of the library with the tables and the food and drinks,” senior AP 2D Design student Ryland McAfee said.
Setting up hasn’t been easiest for students. The heavy boards mixed with flimsy artwork made for a difficult set up.
“It’s been incredibly stressful, because all of the boards are incredibly heavy to move and everything’s just kind of flimsy and not the best stability wise. So it’s kind of risky setting up all this art on these boards,” McAfee said.
Some students in AP 2D Design had pieces connected by a variety of themes that centered around shifting perspectives, such as the types of changes in perspective that come from transitioning from childhood to young adulthood.
Themes on canvas: Childhood experiences, growth and perspective
For students specifically in AP 2D Design, the course requires students to have 15 pieces that are connected through a theme. While setting up, senior Rita Chen, AP 2D Design student, shared a little about the common thread between all of the pieces on her panel: gratitude.
“I wanted to focus on the little things in life, because I feel like it’s often overlooked by a lot of people. When you’re just living every day, you don’t really realize stuff until you look back at it. Like, when you’re a kid, you never really thought about your environment around you. So, when I grew up, I just realized that I had all these things when I was little and I’m so grateful to have that, even though I didn’t realize that at the moment,” Chen said.
For senior Hope Ajayi, she decided to use plants to serve as a depiction of human growth.
“My theme was about how you can compare the growth of a human to the growth of plants and how we can find similarities in those. Like, how plants need time, care and sunlight and how people also need time and care to grow and evolve,” Ajayi said.
Senior Dasia Griffin’s artworks focused on differences in child perception of events.
“My theme is childhood experiences and how different children perceive that, how people can all have a universal experience but a child can feel differently about it. It was kind of difficult coming up with art pieces, but once you have an idea, I think it’s a lot easier to get more and more ideas. Asking my classmates really helped because like a lot of them have really good ideas too,” Griffin said.
Senior Ela Bozkurt focused on visually representing the liminal space between life stages.
“My theme is the loss or the gap between childhood and adulthood where it’s kind of like you’re stuck in between and you don’t know where you’re going or how you’re gonna feel during that transition,” Bozkurt said.
Senior Layla Graham’s pieces were compiled to portray silence.
“We have this thing in AP art called ‘my sustained investigation.’ And for my sustained investigation, I decided to kind of explore the concept of silence, because silence is a complex concept that can be conveyed both literally and metaphorically. And my sustained investigation explores how silence can be visually communicated when it exists in various different forms. So I thought I could show that through abstract pieces, realism, photography and conceptual pieces that I never thought that I’d be able to make when I was kind of first starting out in art. It’s just been a really great experience to get to do that,” Graham said.
Senior Ryland McAfee’s portfolio was inspired by music.
“[The inspiration behind my art] is really music and how it influences the imagination during the creative process. So all of my pieces are based on select songs and I’ve put the lyrics of the songs on the pieces but not in actual English. It’s a translated alphabet, so it’s just symbols. So the concept of words without it actually being words,” McAfee said.
More than an art show: friends and family show their support
There were a variety of pieces displayed in a diversified assortment of mediums. The appearance of the McIntosh jazz band, the sparkling white grape juice and the delicious snacks made for a welcoming and elevated event where creativity and academia overlap and the result is one that people are interested in seeing.
“It’s amazing for me to see the creativity that comes out of young people here from McIntosh,” said Ross McAfee, who came to the art show in support of his grandson, Ryland McAfee. “I’m a little biased with my grandson, [in the fact] that he has excelled so much in the things that he likes to do, not necessarily in what the teacher [wants him to do],” Ross McAfee said.
Senior Annalise Black showcased her Junk Kouture competition costumes, which placed in Nationals and took Black to Ireland to compete at the International level. Her family showed up to the art show in support of Black.
“[Seeing people’s responses have made me] even prouder because it’s my daughter. So, of course, I’m gonna appreciate what she does. I see the work that went into it. But to know somebody that didn’t see what was going on behind the scenes, walk in and instantly tell ‘wow, this took a lot of work and a lot of insight and a lot of creativity.’ I’d love to say she got it from me, but she didn’t. Her Nana would say she got it from her. It’s exciting to see somebody else appreciate her work who didn’t see behind the scenes for sure,” Dreama Black, the mother of Annalise Black, said in tears.
Friends showed up in support of the art students. Senior Carson Page, a member of Art Club, walked around the show with friends to view their artwork.
“My friend’s artwork is up today. I’m just so proud. It’s just amazing to see how such young people do amazing work and be so creative and talented and put their emotions into artwork in a way that I feel like a lot of people can’t do. I can’t do that. It’s just beautiful to see,” Page said.
As the art show wrapped up, Brown noted that the event was a great success.
“It’s been great. The kids are having fun and that’s what matters. I’m just kind of trying to help keep everything going. The band was awesome. Junk Kouture is awesome. There’s still a bunch of people in there looking at art and stuff, so it’s been great. A perfect success,” Brown said.
