When you picture an art show, many things may surface to
your mind--you might picture a middle school’s “Night of the Arts,” or
something similar, hosted to celebrate the arts and their advocates; or you may
immediately imagine the art show held twice annually at Rittenhouse Square. But
what is art? “Art” is a general term used to describe the action of spilling
your imagination onto paper, molding it into a clay masterpiece, or expressing
yourself and your vision through photography or graphic design. The wide range
of subdivisions included in the art field provide such a broad spectrum of things
to try and play with in order to create your own pièce de résistance. |
| Sterling's 2014 Interdistrict Art Show |
Art is a symbol of many different cultures; it is a sign of
life. Back before so-called “civilized” times, the cavemen used to paint murals
on stone--they used pictures of bison and fire and people to tell stories and
pass those tales down through the generations. Ancient Egyptians etched cryptic
hieroglyphs into the inside walls of their great pyramids; Hawaiians, ancient
and contemporary, have carved intimidating tiki creatures out of blocks of
wood, preserving the art of their culture. European masterminds have painted
brilliant murals onto the ceilings of regal castles and stained the glass
windows of churches to tell the story of Christ to preserve their religion. The
delicate styling and elegant simplicity of East Asian art was (and still is)
created with handmade ink, thick-haired, fine-pointed brushes, and silk.
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| A selection of art from Kayla Matteo |
This year, we came to recognize the multiple forms of art, each different and unique but also one and the same. Small children create giant bugs out of styrofoam and finger paint; they use elbow macaroni and Elmer’s glue to make macaroni art for a parent to proudly hang on the fridge. Older children and adolescents create realistic meals out of modeling clay, paint, glitter; they paint a peaceful landscape onto an eight-by-ten canvas, wishing they could be at the scene that they are painting rather than at school. Teenagers mold likenesses of themselves out of clay, finely crafting each hair on their plastilina head; they use different mediums to create a self-portrait, whether realistic or surrealistic, in an attempt to help others understand their true colors.
Some of the art forms just described were seen at Sterling
High School’s 37th Annual Inter-District Art Show. It was a fantastic night to
celebrate the arts and all of their shapes and forms, from drawing to painting
to mixed-media to ceramics. There was a wide range of divisions to win awards
from as well (thirteen in all) and these included Painting, Drawing, Mixed
Media, 3-Dimensional Design, 2-Dimensional Design, Sculpture, Printmaking,
Ceramics, Art I, Graphic Design, Photography, Best Individual Display, and Best
in Show. Overall, there were 92 delighted winners that night. (A full winner’s
list can be found on the Sterling High School website.)
The gymnasium was where the art was unveiled and proudly
shown off for all to see. Each piece was tailored to fit, with careful
preparation and cautious handling. There was so much artwork in one place: it
was inspirational (as always), it was a smack in the face, and it was a reality
check. Tables held all sorts of clay formations and paintings were taped to the
bleachers; colorful paper was rolled out onto the floor and more work gently
rested on it. A nice portion of the gym was dedicated to the various middle
schools that our district is composed of (Stratford, Laurel Springs, Magnolia,
and Somerdale).
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| A selection of art from Noel Cross |
It’s such a wonderful feeling to walk into that gym and be
surrounded by so many creations. Each is different, tailored to the artist’s
style and preference, and no two pieces are alike. The younger generation also
stepped up their game and showed vast amounts of talent; I even overheard some
women gawking at a piece done by a sixth grader they’d never heard of.
Everywhere you look, you see a vision. It does not matter whether it is a student’s
perspective collage done in class or an individual’s panel--art is felt with
the soul; it is what impacts you and your mind. There’s a quote by Roy Adzak
that I truly adore because it is just so relative and accurate: “Good art is
not what it looks like, but what it does to us.”
I’m a sophomore and therefore I’ve attended Sterling for
only two years, but both years I have had the pleasure of helping set up the
show. It’s actually quite magical, how everything comes together, when you get
see the before and the after. Beforehand, it’s hectic and chaotic and total
hysteria spreads to all four corners of the gym. There were four leaders of
organization present including Sterling art teachers Ms. Maskaly and Ms.
Troutz, and each oversaw the creation of the show, making sure each piece was
in its proper place, each corner of each piece aligned perfectly. After a
school day’s preparation, and much help from art students, the show was put
together perfectly, and it was definitely a very cool sight.
This year, I once again held the honor of having my own
personal panel. I was blessed to stand among the ranks of the winners; there
were twelve of us, and they deserve just as much attention for their hard work.
Kayla Matteo won the Painting division while Maggie Strauser and I tied in the
Drawing division. Devon Marinucci prevailed in the Mixed Media category,
meanwhile John Nagle triumphed in the field of 3-Dimensional Design. Julia
LeBano’s collage earned her a blue ribbon in the 2-Dimensional Design category
and Kylie Young was crowned victorious in the Sculpture division. The
Printmaking winner proved to be Emani Bass and Tracie Shivers came out on top
in the Ceramics division. Charles Naone-Carter overcame the rest in the Art I
category, Enida Selmani dominated in Graphic Design, and Julia LeBano took home
another gold in Photography. Last but not least, Noel Cross’ individual display
was most impressive to the judges, and I, Nicole Masnicak, won Best in Show.
The day & night wasn’t just about the visual arts
though! Throughout the day, Mr. Strauss entertained us with a live broadcast of
popular music through Sterling Radio. In the afternoon there were some jazzy
songs performed by Mr. young's Jazz band for entertainment and to keep the
vibe of the show feeling personal and professional. The Silvertones under the
direction of Mr. Mackes, performed in the evening, singing songs from the
spring musical, Damn Yankees, and beautifully belting the lyrics to
popular Disney movies for all to sing along. The Anime
Club was also there, educating those who ventured near about Japanese culture
and art.
Overall, Sterling put on an impressive show for all to see!
From visual arts to performing arts to the art of conversation with the
teachers, there was constantly something to be up to at the art show. I already
cannot wait for all of the talent and creativity next year, and find myself
counting down the days as I paint away in preparation. It’s a night to be
remembered and celebrated; it’s a night dedicated to the arts, and it reminds
us why we should continue to invest in and support the art department and all
that they do, because hard work does pay off! I’ll wrap everything up with
another quote; it’s just something to leave you thinking.
The “earth” without “art” is just “eh.”
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