The Central Art Department held its third annual senior art show in the library on April 24. Seniors were given the opportunity to display their artwork, and many of them installed it as well.
The first senior art show began back in fall 2022. Every senior in an art class has the chance to showcase their art piece. Tanya Simmons, one of the art teachers, helped make this art show possible. “(Principal Dionne) Kirksey came up with the idea a few years ago. So, whether they have taken one art class or eight art classes, one artwork in the show. This is our third year doing it like that,” Simmons said.
Approximately 90 students showcased their artwork at the senior art show. The show had many different classes with artwork such as Art Foundations, Beginning Ceramics, Intermediate Ceramics, Advanced Ceramics, Intermediate Drawing and Painting, Studio Art 1-2, Studio Art 3-4, AP Art, which is for 2D and lastly Applied Design.
“One thing I love about the school is all the different types of people we have here, and in art classes, you see so much variety and the idea behind things, creativity, style, and techniques. It is like visually showing what our school is about and the art show as well,” Simmons said.
Each teacher and student may have different ideas about the meaning of the senior art show. Purposes such as motivating them to show their work off to friends or family or a push to create more art or display their work. “It gives them a chance to see that they are an artist or to have their work on display for the first time,” Simmons said.
This was a pop-up gallery, because it was up for one day. “We had to get that ready on the day of the show, in advance we had people set up to help us. A couple of them did it for an assignment for the honors option in Studio Art, but they were also seniors that helped,” Simmons said.
Teachers started collecting work and getting titles from seniors about a month in advance. The students and the teacher together had to pick one piece; students made the decision which piece it was. Some brought things in from home, while others got it out of the display case.
Le’Marr Mothershed was one of the seniors who displayed their art piece. He took a different route with art and demonstrated fashion at the show.
“I had a piece that I made. It was from some months ago around Christmas when I made the piece. It was a sweatshirt. It was like a wide body sweatshirt that I made,” Mothershed said. “It took me about three weeks to make. Getting all the measurements and stuff or getting the fabric together and everything.”
He enjoyed the senior art show.
“I do recommend people express yourself. Be creative in your stuff,” Mothershed said.
