Students Display Their Talent at the Las Lomas Art Fair
On Friday November 18, there was an art fair in room 701. Upbeat music was playing as students streamed in during lunch to look at the pieces of art, both 2D and 3D, that students had been working on for weeks, some, months.
“This was a really impromptu thing. I was just sort of like let’s do this. I had a student who said she wanted to have a show, and I said okay,” said 3D Art teacher Erica Amundson.
That student was junior Julia Tarter who worked on the big installation hanging in the center of room 701 along with fellow artists Reina Crouch, Christopher Lim, and William DePaz.
“We used a bunch of mixed materials, we used tissue paper, bubble wrap, cellophane, plastic bags, tape, pipe cleaners….,” said Tarter when talking about her piece.
The students started working on the installation at the beginning of the school year and just finished a week before the fair. Inspired by artist Crystal Wagner’s work that was showcased at the Bedford Gallery in the summer, the piece is large, luminous, and seems to be swimming in its state of suspension above the art tables.
“We were just saying that it’s an abstract interpretation of ocean life,” said Tarter.
Sophomore Amber Ellis, another artist at the fair, painted the unique and eye catching piece in the corner of the room that took her a week to complete.
“I saw the Girl with a Pearl Earring painting in our classroom and we were doing a chalk animal project so I decided to turn it into a fish,” said Ellis
When asked why she likes to make art she said, “It’s just a fun way to get all the creative randomous out of your head.”
Amber’s talent and creative side really shines in this painting.
Freshman Sophia Lindemuth painted a vibrant, intricate mandala that took her two weeks to complete.
“It can be kind of frustrating because you know it doesn’t always turn out how you like but sometimes you’re really happy, it’s a good feeling. It’s really satisfying when you’re done,” said Lindemuth.
Tarter, Ellis, and Lindemuth are just a few of the gifted artists who contributed work to the fair.
Amundson has plans for future art fairs and plans on getting more students involved apart from those in art.
“We didn’t have quite enough space but almost enough space, but if we do shows in the future we’ll probably have a theme and put the word out there,” said Amundson. “I was talking to one of the diversity club members and she was saying yeah we could have speakers, and writing, you know poetry or something like that, so it doesn’t just have to be visual art.”
After the success of the November art fair, Amundson and the art students are looking forward to more fairs to come.
“I mean look how fun it is, I think we should do it, make it a regular thing,” said Amundson. “This has been great, it’s been really nice. I’ve talked to people that I didn’t know before and there’s so many interesting kids involved in all these groups and I would love to collaborate with them.”
