16 May 2014.
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.
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.
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).
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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