In the Company of Artists

BY NOREEN LIDSTON

Creating artwork is often considered to be a solitary activity. A painter stands alone at an easel; a fabric artist guides material through a sewing machine; a graphic designer critiques the images on a computer screen; a cartoonist labors over a series of drawings. “Putting in the hours” is an essential ingredient in making art, and usually those hours are spent in isolation.

But not always. Sometimes artists seek the company of one another in order to share their work, receive feedback, or just spend time with those who have a similar creative mindset. All that is required is a time and place to gather. Thanks to the efforts of two members of the Upper School visual arts faculty, such a time and place exist at McDonogh. It is called Open Studio, and it is located in the art classrooms of the Edward St. John Student Center. On Wednesday afternoons until the early evening, students and teachers gather to support each other, commiserate, or simply “hang out” with an understanding, uplifting community.

Open Studio was created by arts faculty members Jessica Bastidas and Robert Penn. Bastidas, in her third year of teaching at McDonogh, is a professional painter and illustrator. Penn, who began teaching at McDonogh in 2018, describes himself as a multidisciplinary artist. He is also the current team leader of the Upper School Visual Arts Department. Both teachers understood that their students needed more time outside of regular classes to develop their art, but minutes stolen from lunch or community time were not enough.

In response, Bastidas and Penn offered random Open Studio sessions during the last school year, with varying days and times. The teachers received a great response from students but felt the need to formalize the schedule this year. Now students can count on having time and space reserved and available to them on a consistent basis.

Art teacher Jess Bastidas puts the finishing touches on “Mercat de Sant Antoni” during the afternoon Open Studio.

The teachers have observed a great deal of growth in student work since Open Studio became a reliable resource. Director of Arts Kara Zimmerman says, “Open Studio provides uninterrupted time for our dedicated visual artists to complete a great deal of work on their pieces in one sitting. This time also forges relationships among students in multiple visual arts classes.”

Bastidas admires the dedication of the students who regularly spend time in Open Studio. “It is a myth that in order to create art you must be gifted with some innate talent. Rather, the students who really grow as artists are the ones who have drive, the motivation to create, and discipline—the work ethic to realize their vision,” she says. “Art is an iterative process. In time, an artist’s work becomes more conceptually and technically sophisticated, but that development cannot happen without commitment. This investment of time and effort is the norm for artists, not the exception.”

Nailah Muhammad ’24 sews a puffer jacket, a project for her Honors Fashion and Fibers II class.

Penn appreciates the social benefits that Open Studio offers to students, especially after the isolation of the pandemic. He says, “The student artists watch their peers work with different mediums. They talk about their pieces, share ideas, and feed off each other’s energy. It is fun to see them interact and relate to one another. They are as tight-knit as any theater group or team of athletes.”

Open Studio is available to upperclassmen who are part of the junior year honors-level visual arts classes or A-Level Senior Art Capstone. The students are enthusiastic about the opportunity to work in a community and receive feedback from an understanding audience. Sophia Park ’23, who spends a lot of time in Open Studio, says, “I love the space and the people. Our schedules are so crazy; this is like selfcare to me. It makes me happy.”

Maggie Vertrees ’23, a relative newcomer to Open Studio, adds, “I enjoy the quiet environment and having close friends nearby. I can focus on my work and get a lot done. I also enjoy the snacks!” Speaking candidly, Finn Mitchell ’24 confesses, “I find it hard to meet deadlines, so it is easier for me to work on my art here at school. I like doing surreal drawings. The process of drawing them is awesome, but it is time-consuming. Despite that, art is my default. It re-centers me.”