Last Tuesday and Thrusday of last week, there was a spectacular show of art work presented by the grade 12 art IB students. Being good friends with many of the artists, I attended both art shows to show my support; besides, I was also curious as to the art pieces my talented friends had created. Conforming a regular classroom into a makeshift art gallery, splendid and breath taking art greeted my eyes as I first walked into the room. Cakes and drinks were served at a table upfront, and wide corridors and carefully arranged art displays allowed many students, parents, and teachers to view different sections of the art show. All the artists claimed different portions of the room to display their art, and were fortunately present beside their art pieces, happily answering questions and explaining their mental processes throughout the creation of the art pieces. These art students are not your average passive painter, or run of the mill sketcher; these art IB students are dilligent, hardworking, and extremely gifted artists that are expected to spend hours after school, at lunch, in the mornings, to create their amazing studio art work, all planned and recorded in their art journals. These art journals are required to be filled with the artist’s perspective’s of works by other artists, plus anaylze and plan their own art pieces, explaining concepts such as the use of images, symbols and themes present in their artwork. At the end of their year, an assesor comes and examines their artwork, grading on not how well an artpiece is done per say, but also how effective the art conveys a theme or a story, and the mental aspects of what went on inside the artist’s head. Life sure isn’t easy for an art IB student, but it definitely is rewarding.
I was simply astounded at such beautiful art pieces, conveying a lot of emotions, symbolism and detail.
