The AP Art show is a great opportunity the entire Grier community to enjoy pieces created by Grier AP Art students. On April 18th, Ms. Stangel and her AP Art class hosted a show to exhibit the works that the students have created over the course of the year.
“The AP Art Show is a collection of artworks that students make throughout the school year to celebrate all of their hard work and dedication to the class, summarizing their experiences,” said Ms. Stangel. This annual show has become a Grier tradition, celebrating student creativity and the arts.
Compared to previous years, this year’s show has some unique features. “First of all, this is the largest AP Art Show we’ve ever had. We have over 100 works up on the wall,” said Ms. Stangel.
The artworks showcased by the students have a wide range, so you can explore a variety of genres and mediums as you wander the halls of the art buiding. “I showcased two collections, a couple mixed media works, and a lot of videos over the past two years,” said Jojo Coker, 26’, an AP Art student.
“The artworks that I showcased are mainly illustrations of my original characters,” described Ivy Chen, ‘27, another AP Art student.
AP Art students also have their favorite and preferred methods in creating art. “I like to use a lot of mixed media, such as collage work [and] paper,” said Coker.
On the other hand, Chen prefers another way to create art: “My favorite art form is digital art,” said Chen, “I would first choose from the three drafts that I prepared, and then search for some references. After that I would refine my draft and start coloring as well as doing other procedures.” The artworks created through different methods further enriched the exhibition.
Furthermore, each student has their distinct inquiry to guide their portfolio. “My inquiry is ‘what is it like to live as a teen with a child’s mind?” said Coker. “What inspired me was my own experiences, day-to-day. I feel like my inquiry represents me going through life because I believe that I have a child’s mind as a teen, and I just want to show the world how that affects me and also what that looks like to me.”
Chen also mentioned her inquiry and her reason for choosing it: “My inquiry is character design because I really enjoy the process of drawing people,” said Chen. The diversity of the inquiries and themes found in students’ artworks further demonstrates students’ interests and what they want to show the world through art.
The AP Art show has its significance both for spectators and the AP Art students. “My biggest hope for students coming to the show is to see what they can do,” Ms. Stangel reflected. “Sometimes students will look at AP Art and feel like it’s a course too challenging to take or that they’re not good enough. But I’m hoping that after assessing the range of skills and materials up on the wall tonight, those students can see themselves in this class and look forward to maybe taking it in their 11th and 12th grade.” Therefore, for students who fear they are not good enough to take the course, the AP Art show demonstrates the unlimited possibilities in art.
Lastly, Ms. Stangel also conveys her message to the AP Art students that have worked so hard in creating the excellent artworks throughout the year and helping host the show: “For the AP art students, I truly want them to know how proud of them I am,” added Ms. Stangel, “I feel like I’m always pushing them to make more, make changes, make revisions, but I’m hoping that they know that I’m truly so proud of their work and that they deserve all of the celebration tonight.”
Overall, with all the diverse and enriching artworks showcased, the AP Art show attracts many people to come and enjoy the hard works AP Art students have dedicated their effort into, showcasing the possibilities of art to those who might want to engage in the course in the future.
