By AMY ADAMS
news@readthereporter.com
Westfield Washington Schools hosted its annual Rock the Arts K-12 Student Art Show on Saturday, April 20, at Westfield High School.
Westfield High School (WHS) art teacher Lindsay Frey said every school participated, contributing elements to the exhibit, and the crowd was steady from noon to 3 p.m.
Students from all the schools in the district contributed to the displays at Rock the Arts at Westfield High School. (Reporter photo by Amy Adams)
The art on display included 2-D and 3-D pieces in a wide array of media, as well as edible creations from WHS culinary art students in the form of cheese and dessert trays.
In addition to painting, Frey teaches Advanced Placement 2-D Art and Design. Her students displayed artwork created throughout the course.
“I had a lot of fun with it,” senior Basil Swartz said. “I do entirely digital art.”
Swartz plans to attend Ball State University to become a digital art teacher.
Kiley Hurst teaches Introduction to 3-D Art at WHS, which amounts to around 100 students in four different classes.
“3-D is my personal medium, so I love being able to share something that I’m passionate about,” Hurst said. “I love to see kids start to think about art in a different way.”
Hurst said she chose work for the exhibit in which students followed the guidelines but were able to create unique pieces.
Natalie Messmore has taught art at WHS for her entire career. In her 19th year, she teaches AP 3-D Studio Art along with ceramics and sculpture classes.
“In AP Studio, I get to have the students for the whole year,” Messmore said. “The goal in the AP curriculum is that students have a question they want to answer, and their art answers it.”
WHS Senior Eli Marti, left, created a 14-piece human form in ceramics in the AP 3-D Art and Design class taught by Natalie Messmore, right. (Reporter photo by Amy Adams)
One of Messmore’s students, senior Eli Marti, showcased a ceramic creation entitled “Anatomy of Self.” Rather than designing a portfolio of individual works, Marti spent the year on one 14-piece human form.
“My question is how do outside forces impact my identity,” Marti said. “Every single part has meaning. It covers a lot of deeply personal topics.”
Marti worked one to two hours each day on the project, and each limb took approximately a month to complete.
“They have just blossomed and embraced challenges and, obviously, had a vision for what this could be,” Messmore said. “I love just stepping back and watching how they problem solved.”
Marti plans to study psychiatry and go into the medical profession but will continue to invest time into art.
Rock the Arts showcased both 2-D and 3-D art from students across the district. (Reporter photo by Amy Adams)