A Qualitative Research Study of Arts Education and its’ Impact on Post-Secondary Success. Written by Jenny Sturchio.

This past school year I had the opportunity to work with Jenny Sturchio. She is a grad student at Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee. Her ideas for her Capstone Final was to research how secondary art education impacts post-secondary success. The Sheboygan North High Art Department was one of her subjects for this research. I found it interesting to read her perspective on secondary art education and her correlations to post-secondary education. It is always neat to read what others think about the arts programming, activities, and relationships that exist within a public high school art program.

Feel free to download this PDF. Courtesy of Jenny Sturchio. 

Here are some excerpts from her research. 

“I find we are presented with material in a very linear way and are expected to understand it in that way as well. By participating in the arts, it has given me the chance to explore ideas and come to the conclusions in a more fluid manner. Having space to work through things abstractly has been beneficial for someone with a right brain way of thinking” (Answer from survey participant, 2016.)

“By being involved in the arts, I was able to find my passion. Being exposed to and given the chance to dabble in artistic curriculum, it opened up doors that would not have been possible otherwise. In a society where math and science are deemed the only suitably successful careers, including arts is a more holistic approach at education. Art has given me more ways to problem solve, and overall another perspective to walk through the world with. I think it is important to keep the arts in secondary education because that is how we keep it in post-secondary, which is important in creating innovators of the world” (Answer from survey participant, 2016.)

“When dealing with a struggling student they refer to creative teaching techniques to create a platform for the student to find success”.

“Not only do they [teachers] consult with the art department for their own classroom integration, but it is observed that arts-active students are more deeply engaged in classroom activities than those who are not”.

“My recommendation would be for high schools to provide professional development for their teachers that covers arts-integrated education”. – Jenny Sturchio

About

J.Sturchio. A Qualitative Research Study of Arts Education and its’ Impact on Post-Secondary Success: This narrative research project was completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a Master of Arts in Education degree for the College of Adult and Graduate Studies at Wisconsin Lutheran College, Milwaukee, WI. 50pps.

Feel free to download this PDF. Courtesy of Jenny Sturchio. 

Reception photos for NHS AiR, Marty Carney

Marty is our fourth artist in residence at Sheboygan North High School. A reception is a great way to celebrate the success of the artist’s accomplishment during our Spring semester. Although his time was dedicated to connecting with NHS students and staff he also created several paintings. Receptions are always unpredictable. It is probably one of the most nerve racking parts of being an artist because you never know who is going to show up. 

In this case, Marty had a fab turnout. It was great to see our administration present, aspiring poets, fellow colleagues, former artists in residence, and friends. For the third time, Ms. Cavanaugh’s poetry students wrote poems based on a painting from the artist they liked and read them to the people present. The poetry readings are starting to become a tradition that has found a home at NHS. Marty shared how his paintings were influenced by ecology. Mr. Soik, Honors Humanities teacher, shared how having Marty weekly made a difference in how his students interacted with the artist resulting in a beautiful assemblage. 

This program has presented many wonderful opportunities to strengthen our bond as a North High community as well as to welcome unexpected events and embracing them whilst letting things flow where they may. 

Final words with NHS AiR, Marty Carney

June 2 marks Marty Carney’s last day as our Spring semester 2016 Artist in Residence. Throughout the semester he worked with various teachers on art projects and ideas that could be implemented into the curriculum. We enjoyed having him at NHS.

Click here to read how this AiR Program has impacted student learning at Sheboygan North High School.

In this video, Marty talks about his experience working with students and staff at Sheboygan North High School. 

Running time: 10:26

Here is the Humanities Honors 2 project that Marty has been overseeing.

Preliminary sketch by Annemarie. 

Preliminary sketch by Annemarie

Collaborative assemblage produced by students. 

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mixed media on wood panel, 3’x3′, 2016

This art project was created by Mr Soik’s 2016 Spring Semester Honors Humanities class in collaboration with Marty Carney, Artist-in-Residence at North High School for this semester. This was the second collaboration which Mr. Soik called “ArtPlosion.”  This final art project was intimated by brainstorming between Mr Soik, Marty, and the students in the class. The overall pattern was created by one of the students to visualize the learning content about Western Civilization which the class had studied during the semester. Marty gathered supplies which would make the imagined project possible. Once the roots, text, and tree pattern was sketched onto the surface of a wood panel by the student, the rest of the class contributed images and quotes from their learning throughout the semester.  Other artifacts were also attached by the students to enhance the overall artistic ambience. As you see, the finished project visualizes the creativity and vitality of their learning process.

Design it Yourself Gallery Project: A deeper look into the 365 Artists 365 Days Project

Appleton art teacher, Elyse Lucas collaborated with Kate Mothes of Young Space inspires high school art students to research, collaborate, and design their own gallery. Mr. Juarez’s 365 Artists 365 Days Project provided students with a list of artists whose works were explored for the curation of the exhibitions that were organized within their own galleries. 

It is such a rewarding experience to see this project inspire students to look at the [art] world through a different lens. When this project was released on January 1, 2014 the primary intent was to introduce our readership to contemporary artists, studio cultures, and diversity in media from across the globe. It is neat to see this project implemented within a secondary art curriculum and to see the possibilities unfold. – Mr. Juarez, art educator and founder of 365 Artists 365 Days Project.

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Ms. Elyse Lucas’s unit: Design it Yourself Gallery Project

Unit and images courtesy of the teacher and used with permission. 

Objective: Design your own art exhibition in your own imaginary gallery. The artwork and gallery space must work together to invoke a common theme. Students may select any contemporary art pieces from the list of contemporary artists on Frank Juarez “365 Artists in 365 days” website. Students may design any space that the artwork will be hung. Student will create 3D models of their gallery space as well as an exhibition guide showcasing their selected artwork and describing their theme. Student will then present their ideas to professional curator Kate Mothes. Student will gain a greater understanding of contemporary art, art appreciation, art criticism, and the value to art in a community.

Requirements:

Research on Artwork

  • Select 8-12 pieces of contemporary art from Frank Juarez’s website “365 Artists in 365 Days”
  • Artwork must have common theme (aesthetically or message)
  • Describe artist’s intent with artwork (chart)

3D Model of Gallery

  • Must be made out of cardboard
  • Must be 3D and painted white
  • Must be laid out with where artwork goes and why

Exhibition guide for show

  • Must include mission statement about the show (intent or what message you want the viewer to observe)
  • Paragraph about each artist and description of their artwork

Presentation

  • About 20 minutes long
  • Re-state mission statement and intent with the show
  • Explain why you designed the space in a certain shape
  • Explain why you hung artwork in certain spots
  • Explain what you learned through this process

Standards:

  • Art Theory: Visual Thinking : Vocabulary Use (id:9968)
  • Art Theory: Visual Thinking : Interpretation/Evaluation (id:9969)
  • Art Theory: Visual Thinking : Formulates Opinion (id:9971)
  • Art Theory: Visual Thinking : Personal Opinion (id:9974)
  • Communication Arts 9. : Key Ideas and Details 2 (id:10151)
  • Communication Arts 9. : Production and Distribution of Writing 2 (id:10167)
  • Communication Arts 9. : Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas 3 (id:10177)

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Design it yourself Art Gallery: Research

Directions: Visit Frank Juarez’s website “365artists365days.com.” Click on the “Artist Database” link at the top and then “Download 2014/5 Artist Database” link. You can choose to look up an artist based on their medium (materials they used to make art) or theme/category they fall under. Visit the artist’s website, find images of their work, read about their intent/process. If you like an artist or think it works with a theme, add information to the chart below. Explore all sorts of artists, themes and mediums until you find one you appreciate/find aesthetic connection to. Collect 8-12 pieces for your show and print thumbnail picture of each piece.

Researching Artists-Artwork

Design it yourself Art Gallery: Research

Post-Research Reflection: Respond to the following prompts thoughtfully and thoroughly. Based on your reflection, write your show’s “Mission Statement” below.

  • What is similar about all these artists?
  • What mediums are the works made of? Where are the artists from?
  • What overall theme does the artwork have (aesthetics or meaning)?
  • Why will these works make a unified show?
  • What do you hope the viewer will take away from visiting your show?
  • What did you learn about your own aesthetics/taste in art through this research process?

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DIY Gallery: Community Engagement Piece

Directions: Design a community engagement piece to accompany your exhibition. What is something that will greet the public and encourage them to have a voice about your art show’s theme? Engagement piece should be something interactive that either remains in the gallery or people can take with them. Be creative and build off of your theme!

Requirements:

  • Piece should relate to the theme of your art show
  • Piece should be interactive
  • Prompt people to participate (see/feel the impact)
  • Remain in space or people take with them (memory)
  • Quick activity (less than five minutes)
  • Minimal supplies/mess

Ideas to build off of and adapt to your show:

  • Writing prompt (Kate’s show)
  • Collaborative drawing (Tedx talk)
  • Collaborative sticky notes mural (Tedx talk)
  • Take away card/gift/message (Felix Gonzalez Torres)
  • Be Creative!!! Think of your own!!!

Describe your community engagement piece below:

  • Describe the activity in 5-7 sentences (include a sketch as necessary)
  • What do you want people to take away from the activity?
  • What materials are necessary to the activity?
  • How does the activity relate to your theme?

Describe your community engagement piece below:

  • Describe the activity in 5-7 sentences (include a sketch as necessary)
  • What do you want people to take away from the activity?
  • What materials are necessary to the activity?
  • How does the activity relate to your theme?

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Design it yourself Gallery: Exhibition Guide

Directions: Create your own exhibition guide for your art show. Exhibition guide should walk your viewers through your art show and provide them with necessary information so they understand your theme/message of the show and layout of your gallery. Students may use Indesign or Publisher to create their 2-3 page guidebook.

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Requirements:

Exhibition guide with likely be a trifold or booklet and must include the following:

Title/Cover Page:

  • Title of your gallery
  • Title of your art show
  • Picture (one attractive piece of artwork that represents the show)

Information about the show:

  • Location (imaginary location-city, state)
  • Run time (imaginary dates-2 weeks, 2 months, other)   
  • Mission statement of show
  • Map of the gallery/digital Homestyler.com model

Information about the art:

  • Artist, Title, Date, Medium of every piece of art in show
  • Small paragraph/blurb about each artist and their piece
  • Selective photos of work (not for every piece but range of work)

Information about your gallery:

  • Who are the curators (that’s you!)
  • Why did you choose to design your gallery the way you did?
  • What future shows would you like to hold in your gallery?

Note: Please use an attractive layout, font, colors and visuals that all work with your art show’s theme and is inviting to the public.

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DIY Gallery: Model

IMG_7709Objective: Design a model of your gallery space that help articulates your gallery’s mission statement and showcases the selected artwork. One model should be completed digitally with http://www.homestyler.com. You will need to create an account with your school email for this site. One model should be 3D and made out of cardboard. Students should paint cardboard white and include a key for the model explaining where artwork will go. Research other art galleries and museums and consider their layout when designing your own. Consider traditional elements of a gallery including blank slate layout (white walls, wood floors, artwork as focal point). Consider sizing of artwork when planning what pieces go where (an instillation piece should have adequate space for viewer to walk around piece, 6ft painting will need larger wall so work has space, etc.)

Requirements:

  • 1 Model should be made digitally with homestyler.com
  • 1 Model should be constructed 3D
    • Made out of cardboard and hot glue
    • Painted white walls
  • Clear simple layout (complements the art)
  • Considerate arrangement of work (pieces thematically tell story)
  • Artwork sizing considered
  • Key/chart:
    • indication where artwork is hung
    • compass/label for bearings
    • title of the gallery
    • mission statement of gallery
    • thumbnail picture of art pieces (8-12)
    • statement explaining gallery design and layout (why pieces go where)

DIY Gallery: Model statement

Explain your thought process is designing the gallery space. Why did you choose this layout? How does the layout relate to your gallery’s mission statement and theme of the art show? What other art galleries/museums did you look at for inspiration for your gallery? What pieces needed extra consideration for placement? (7-9 sentences at least)

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Design it yourself Gallery: Presentation

Directions: Pitch your gallery idea to Kate Mothes and Ms. Lucas! Presentation should be 15 mins in length and both partners should be actively participating equally. Discuss all components to your gallery including the following: information about the show, art pieces/research process, exhibition guide, layout (digital and scale model), community engagement piece.

Information on show: (3 mins)

  • Title of gallery and exhibition
  • Mission statement
  • Theme of the exhibition
  • Describe artists and their pieces (artist, title, date, medium, meaning)

Research process: (3 mins)

  • Why did you pick the pieces you did?
  • What were some hardships with finding your artists?
  • Why were you drawn to the pieces?
  • What did you learn about your own taste in art through this process?

Exhibition Guide: (3 mins)

  • Why did you design your guide this way?
  • What hardships did you have when creating your guide?

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Layout of gallery (models): (3 mins)

  • Why did you arrange your model/gallery layout this way?
  • What hardships did you overcome in planning out the location of your pieces or what special considerations did your artwork require?

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Community Engagement: (3 mins)

  • What activity did you provide the public?
  • What are you hoping people take away from participating in activity?
  • How does your activity relate to your theme?
  • Why is it important to have a community engagement piece?

*** Note: This is a formal presentation. Please introduce yourself and conduct yourself professionally in front of our community members. Please rehearse your presentation with your partner in advanced so you meet time and response expectations. Please hold up/display model and guide when describing these pieces. Can provide powerpoint of enlarged images when describing art pieces if desired.

Presentation Feedback (see front of this sheet also):

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Project Feedback (see individual sheets also):

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Unit and images courtesy of the teacher and used with permission. 

Below is the article that was published on April 11, 2016 by The Post Crescent. 

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Excited About Something Exhibition at Silver Lake College

IMG_6294Title: Excited About Something

Location: Silver Lake College, Lake’s Edge Gallery, located on campus at the Franciscan Center for Music Education and Performance, 2406 S. Alverno Road. There is a reception for the students on May 9, 5-6pm. 

Exhibition Dates: March 28 – May 9, 2016

Description: Art students from Sheboygan North High School created sixteen works of art ranging form paintings to collages and drawings to ceramics for their exhibition, “Excited About Something”. This exhibition explores the idea of self-expression without structural boundaries. These student artists selected their own substrate, thematic unit, and intent for their artwork. 

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Teacher Statements

Mr. Frank Juarez, “Stroke”, acrylic on canvas, 16”x10”, 2016

Stroke, acrylic on canvas, 16"x10", 2016

My paintings are driven by a collection of certain things I feel can influence my work. In my studio I reduce those visuals into paintings with a minimalistic approach. Through my practice, I am able to bring what is important to the surface so that the viewer can interpret his/her own meaning. 

Teacher: Mrs. Antoinette Mattern, “The Perfect Breakfast”, Oil on Canvas, 16” x 28”

toni

I really enjoy drawing and painting portraits. People are so interesting! I was inspired to make an Impressionist-style painting of my teen-aged son and daughter as they were having breakfast one morning. They each had “perfect hair,” which is very important if you are in middle school. The peaceful way that they enjoyed their pancakes, along with the beautiful colors in our kitchen that morning, seemed to call me as a mom and as a painter. I really wanted to capture the positive feeling of the moment. I used gestural lines to block in the shapes, and I left some of the distorted perspective to increase that feeling of a fleeting moment.

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Student Statements

Esther Segura, Rebirth, oil on canvas, 2016

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The trees are on fire. The ground is black and the fire lights up the sky. The sky has different shades of red and brown. In this painting the trees are a dark brown with some green and black. This painting represents rebirth and second chances. In the painting there are trees on fire. One of the trees is burning to the ground. The sky is lit up with color red. After the trees burn new trees and other plants can grow. This is a cycle that allows plants to regrow and start over. When a forest fire starts it destroys the trees but over time more plants and trees will grow again. This painting means that after something bad happened that a good thing can come out of it too.

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Katie Mendini, “Impure”, acrylic on canvas, 8”x8”, 2016

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The internal battle between the good intentions and compulsive, sometimes dark, nature of each individual is depicted. Although the white seems to overpower the bold colors of black and red, they manage to be seen on the other half, and through the gaps of the purity.

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Brittany Wolf, “Small Different Worlds”, collage on canvas, 10”x10”, 2016

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It tells you that everyone is different and we should respect everyone no matter where they came from.

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Mikayla Mork, “Sweet Nectar”, collage on paper, 12”x12”, 2016

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The inspiration for this piece came from my previous experiences with collage and nature. I wanted to change the action of the subject in the work to form a simile between bad habits and how they feel to an individual.

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Abrille Johnson, “Out of touch”, oil on canvas, 20”x20”, 2016

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This painting is about a girl who feels lost because of family health problems that seem to get worse, she looking back on earth because she feels out of touch from society and she doesn’t fit in. She has no one who understands what she is going through so she feels alone.

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Monica McClure, “Galaxy”, acrylic on canvas, 20”x20”, 2016

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My painting is about a full moon in a galaxy sky with a shadow tree and blue greenish grass.

This painting is about being free and just go with it. To see what happens  I  mixed  the colors while the paint and wet. By making the darkness and lightness in the sky it makes the painting stands out with the purples, pinks, and blues. My painting makes me feel calm. It looks like a real place that I want to go to lay down in the grass, look up into the sky above and rest my eyes to relax.

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Melicia Sigala, “Aberration”, ceramic, 2016

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Mistakes are an art of their own.

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Ailen Flores, “The Modern City”, Acrylic on Canvas, 8” x 10”, 2016

Ailen

I was just visiting New York City in December. I wanted to make a painting to show the tall buildings. I used bright colors because I wanted to make it look modern.

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Sabrina Bennett, “In the Mind of Others”, Acrylic on Canvas, 8” x 10”, 2016

sabrina

The purpose behind this canvas is that everyone, everywhere is different. It is saying how a man could have multiple personality disorder while a woman could be anti-social, etc. What and who inspired me to make this artwork was that I was working on a picture for a poetry booklet, but I had it the wrong way, so I decided to try and make a painting of it. Then my friend, Mason Tipton, told me I could make it about mental disorders. He even made me a list of mental disorders as a reference. My friend Talya Thurs said I could use the color blue to represent depression.

This painting was a way for me to paint something that was fun, creative, and would look fun in a gallery. What it means to me is that not everyone understands the mental disorders that are out there. No matter the color of your skin, anybody can have a mental disorder of some kind.

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Jennette Zachow, “The Guardians”, Acrylic on Canvas, 8” x 10”, 2016

The title of my piece is, “The Guardians” I call it this, because the two figures drawn are meant to be seen as illusions, or guardians of nature. The purpose behind my piece is to draw attention to the destruction and pollution of the world. The two figures, or Guardians represent nature, one can be seen with a sad expression on it’s face. The sad expression on one, and the lack of a face on the other are representations of the sadness and despair they feel to have to watch the destruction of the world. I was inspired to create this, by a conversation I had about the Sheboygan River. My step-dad had made a comment about how grossly brown it was, and my mom said that it was clearer usually but because of a storm dirt was drug up to the top of the river. I couldn’t help but think that it was always this gross color, and it wouldn’t be if it weren’t for pollution of the river. I started out with a set of colors that looked nice together, and then went to different color schemes for each Guardian.

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Tyler Galicia, “Madvillainy”, Acrylic on Canvas, 10” x 10”, 2016

tyler

What is it’s purpose: To me it has less than the average painting as while it is visually pleasing it lacks originality, and while this wasn’t what i was planning at first i guess it ended up being a nice mistake.

For me really i can say i was more or less thinking of myself while painting this as i think highly of this album in general and with that being said i really took a liking to the cover, with it being a black and white photo but the person in the photo also wearing a mask led to an interesting amount of lights and darks. Overall it was also an easier thing to approach as skin tones aren’t my thing. I need really understood the orange square in the upper right corner but from what i can assume it’s there to keep it from looking so gloomy.

Method: I went with darks and grays with choosing this as i stated earlier skin tones aren’t my thing. I gotta say it went from looking terrible at first to becoming something beautifully complex and i’m happy for it. I guess if i were ever to go about this again i’d plan something in the chance of it and go about something original as opposed to this.

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Nikki Chanthima, “Untitled”, Acrylic on Canvas, 10”x8”, 2016

Nikki

I make art to express what comes to my mind. Art makes me feel like I’ve released the creative side of me. My friend Natalie, inspired me to create more art. I quit drawing for a year, but she helped me get back to it. I used a stretched canvas and acrylic paint to achieve my artwork. This painting makes me think the girl is mortal and makes everything calm again.

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Lourdes Segura, “Hennette”, Acrylic on Canvas, 10” x 8” 2016

lulu

The meaning behind the painting is that every person in the world has a beautiful face. There are many different and unique features on a face that differ on people. The girl’s face within the painting is representing the way I see some beauty of different people within the girl I designed. Her hair contains multiple colors, including a medium brown, red, and yellow. The dots upon her face are like a tattoo. I love to see the beauty in everything in life, no matter what it is. Within the paint there is a little heart next to “PTV” and music note on the side, which represents my favorite band, because the music they made helped me through some stuff. In the beginning there was no plan on what I was going to paint, but in the end the paint turned out to be beautiful to me.

What does a mask say about you?

What does a mask say about you?  Or about the person wearing it?

Last quarter 3D Design students designed and created their very own Identity Masks to illustrate whatever they wanted to communicate with the public. Materials used were cardboard, paper mache, gesso, and acrylic paints. Some students’ work were based on their interests while others took a personal approach and took this opportunity to say something about him/herself. 

KAT

K. Luther

My name is Kat, at least that’s what a lot of people know me by. I am a junior and have been to 3 different high schools, I have never really fit in where ever I’ve gone and always kind of felt left out of things. I came to North for a fresh start and I got it. People always wonder what’s behind my mask I put on.

I interpreted what’s behind my facade with this mask. I added some random details that may be weird to some but have meaning to me, like the spikes. The top spikes represent my confusion, mainly done by placement. The color theme is for my over active brain. Purple is my fear. Black is my anger, which on the surface is very hidden, but inside I fight violent urges all the time in my quest to achieve peace.

The black inside of the mouth is how it feels when I try to speak, like I say nothing. I guess my mask represents my hidden pain that I hide.

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MARCOS

M.Santillan

 

My mask doesn’t represent anything all that much. I made it look like a bear, but colored it blue with white markings. The blue color is supposed to represent the calmness of bears, but the white markings represents innocence . I made the mask so I could wear it only on my face, the mask is held in place and fits perfectly which also covers the entire head. There could be be a deeper meaning about the mask and colors used but couldn’t think of a deeper meaning.

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KEVIN

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My Character’s  name is Void. He trained with the Spartans and killed his master Raz Al’ Ghul so that he could become the most powerful warrior. He has a brother named Slade. His brother is an Australian soldier that was injected with a cyrum called mirakuru. It gave him strength and power to kill with a single punch. Void was also injected with the same cyrum and had the potential to regenerate quickly. Void is a legit immortal. The brothers had a duel and Void had his brother killed with his own sword right through the eye. Slade was no match for void and his sword.

Another enemy has entered this world of Void and threatened to hunt Void down because rumor has it that he has everlasting life. Rattlehead is the master death. He is capable of taking a mortal’s life and eating its soul by piercing them with his sword through the heart. They began to battle and clashing swords. Void managed to cut his left hand off causing him to lose some of his souls he has taken. At the end we both clashed swords and we both were turned into stones.

To be continued……………

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LOGAN

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The mask goes by many names. But all know its true name: Darkness. The mask was once worn by Rattlehead, The master of Death. After thousands of years, the mask became the symbol of destruction and destruction. All that proves that it once truly was real is the replica of it that was found, and of his sword, Soul Reaper.

In the age before machines, all feared dying. Rattlehead enjoyed killing all,, even if they are not to die yet. After thousands of years, he sensed a power of another immortal. He crossed over dimensions to find and slay the power to take as his own. The being was known as Void. A strange being who became immortal. As the two clashed, an explosion erupted and the two vanished from the realm, never to be seen again.

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CHRIS

C. Hartley

 

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FRANK

F.Canseco

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ADRIANA

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Mr. Juarez teaches art in Ojai, California

This spring break Mr. Juarez is participating in a visiting artist program at The Thacher School in Ojai, California. He will be working with Mrs. Mahoney’s art students. He will be introducing students to the Midwest Artist Studios Project (MAS), which highlights artists living in the Midwest. In addition, he will be Skyping the artists into the classroom so that they can have the opportunity to interact with them via a critique and/or Q & A.  

On March 25th, he spent the day getting to know the art students. Mrs. Mahoney’s students are fabulous and talented. He will be facilitating a few projects from the MAS Project and will be documenting his stay. 

To see images of students working on the MAS art lessons click here

Below will be a growing gallery of images. 

Midwest artist, Jessica Anderson, visits Sheboygan North High art students

On March 14, MAS artist, Jessica Anderson, spent the day at Sheboygan North High School connecting with students through her project, Meditation Walking, as the basis for her meditation drawings that she facilitated with Drawing/Painting II, AP Studio Art, and Senior Art 2 students. Jessica is one of our Year 2 MAS artists. 

Jessica’s artist statement states:

Part research, part design, part invention – my work navigates the boundary between mind and body through a re-contextualized lens of science, medicine, and biologic phenomena. Reminiscent of laboratory investigations, my invented scenarios answer questions with questions and provoke participatory explorations of the individual self.  

Taking the position as neither a skeptic nor a promoter, my research examines the role of holistic healing practices in contemporary culture. I am interested in individual relationships within these mechanisms of health and provide viewers with opportunities to test their own boundaries of belief. Reframing practices such as a detoxifying footbath, a chi activation machine, and phenomenological exercises, my re-contextualization of existing treatments heightens the tension of purpose, and provides viewers with neutral environments of investigation. 

Merging factual information with reinvented application allows me to expand the dialogue of cognitive occurrences. For instance, EMDR therapy asks patients to lean their head to the left to access thoughts and to lean their head to the right to access feelings and emotions. Redirecting this information, I then ask: Is there a discernible difference between these two cerebral directions when drawing a line? 

It is a question that can only be answered through experience, observation, and communally applied analytics. 

In my work, invitations for experience occur through demonstrative videos, interactive objects/devices, evocative statements of research, and performative exercises. Together, each of these installation elements create a multi-dimensional environment of investigative viewing, biologic questioning, and experiential answering. By repositioning scientifically grounded phenomena into the context of a gallery, information begins to transcend ratiocination and calls upon a physical conversation between mind, body, and personal experience. 

Katie, drawing/painting II student, writes, “the meditation drawing experience was very different from what I was expecting going into it. My mind works in a very mechanical fashion so I thought that I would not be able to relax and have my hand wander for a period of time. I found myself having completely letting go. Tracking time was impossible. When just sitting and doing nothing, 10 minutes felt like an eternity. Time was called when I thought we were only half way through. After completing the session, I felt more relaxed, more confident in my decisions, and more sensitive to my surroundings. I would gladly doing this again and recommend it to anyone. 

Abrille, drawing/painting II student, writes, “I felt that with this meditation drawing it was weird. At First, it was different because I never done it before. I learned that basically letting your mind take over your hand. You do not exactly create something recognizable. I thought this idea was cool because I never thought you could meditate through art. I was pretty excited with trying something new. In the end Id did get comfortable with doing this. By the time we were finished I was really relaxed, but when I opened my eyes to see what I drew it was unexpected.

Brittany, drawing/painting II student, writes, “Jessica did an amazing job! It was a great experience. I would do it all of the time. I felt refreshed. My mind was at peace. 

Mikayla, AP Studio Art student, writes, my experience during the meditation drawing was calming. I wasn’t thinking about what I was drawing, but more what I was feeling. This process taught me that to create art, I do not need to always necessarily think it through, but express how I’m feeling. I also learned that meditation drawing is the releasing of one’s mind. The thoughts and expressions in our minds flow directly into our hand and create an image on paper. When introduced to this process I was very interested. It seemed very stress free and enjoyable. After it was all done, the meditation drawing session made me feel very relaxed. I was also quite surprised by how my drawing looked. It pretty much was a bunch of scribbles, but nonetheless very enjoyable. 

Running Time: 14:17 with a 6:21 introduction by Jessica. 

Gallery