Bryn Pennetti
Arts, Entertainment & Technology Editor
Eye-catching panoramas have lined the school lobby over the past couple of weeks, but how did they get there? Since it takes more than just a few pictures to create a gallery, the help of both the student body and a few art teachers are needed to make galleries possible each month.
Currently, the teachers and students are organizing a gallery to be presented on Wed. Apr. 3 in the lobby of the high school. To plan this gallery and others, Art teacher Lisa Floryshak-Windman, Film teacher Greg Scalzo and AP Photography teacher Jeanne McDonagh meet with students after school to talk about what the next gallery should focus on and how it will be run. “The students are involved in every aspect of the gallery,” senior Izzi Schipper said. “We start with a theme for the new exhibition, then we go about spreading the word and collecting student work.
“The galleries are student run and [students and teachers]collaborate on a theme together,” Ms. McDonagh said. “Students design their own space and the themes adapt to the type of media being presented.”
Izzi, who has participated in both managing and submitting to a number of exhibits, finds the process long but exciting. “We start with a theme for the new exhibition, then we go about spreading the word and collecting student work,” she said. “Then we begin the curation process, where the students and faculty advisors go through the submitted work and decide which pieces fit the concept of the upcoming exhibition.”
For each gallery in progress, co-coordinators and a logo designer are picked. A logo is created to help spread the word and theme of the upcoming gallery.
“Sometimes [the logos]have been drawn and scanned and sometimes they are computer generized,” Ms. Windman said.
Senior George Harvey has produced several logos in the past for various shows. “To
come up with the logo I just find characteristics of what the gallery represents and I incorporate those ideas into the poster,” he said. “I use Photoshop to produce the logos.”
The gallery is finally brought together with an opening reception. There, students, faculty and parents are invited to view the hard work of the participants along with food and drink. “Each gallery show changes, there’s a rotating schedule,” Ms. Windman said. “Ms. McDonagh and Mr. Scalzo are in charge of the next all media show. Usually, two people lead the project and one person helps out.”
Ultimately, the high school art gallery helps students realize their talents and gives them the oppertunity to display their work. “I love having a student gallery because presentation is such a huge part of being an artist,” Izzi said. “It’s is a great opportunity to display your work and gain understanding on the curation process.”
While the April gallery is already well under way, the theme, for now, is a secret.
