Volume CXI, Issue 12
The student news publication of Walnut Hills High School
Friday April 14, 2017
Ma k i ng st atements i n spri ng a rt show
Top left: Far From Home by Sophia Necco, ‘19. Bottom left: Twin by SENIOR Claire Greweling. Center: Middle East by Rithu Rajagopala, ‘19. Top right: When You Imagine God by Sophia Necco, ‘19. Bottom right: Sunlit by SENIOR Claire Greweling.
Picking up
the paintbrush
Isabel Nissley ‘20, Sofia Tollefson ‘21
Cool air blasts from vents hanging from the ceiling. Stools stand upon the barren tables. The echoey room allows words to bounce off the walls filled with art. Julia Johnson, ‘22, sits in the center of the room perfecting a masterpiece. Maps dot a piece of cardboard, covered with musical instruments and flowers. With light black and white brushstrokes, and a collage-like style, her artwork awes many, including art teacher Donald Stocker. “Julia could give most of the seniors in any art courses a run for their money,” Stocker said. “In second grade, I started going to Funke Fired Arts and I started doing art, then I got into the School for Creative and Performing Arts,” Johnson said when describing her artistic beginnings. She gathers her inspirations from other artists, and aspires to be as good as they are. She shared that she does not have a signature style yet. Although Johnson is just in the seventh grade, she is not afraid to look into the future, and sees herself continuing with her artwork.
Julia Johnson, ‘22, stands next to her most recent piece for the Spring Art Show.
Catch these artists before they Van Gogh away Delaney Owens ‘21 For SENIORS, the Spring Art Show is their last at WHHS; some of them have been in the fine arts program for six years. From learning basic art techniques to creating award-winning pieces, WHHS has been a place for these students to explore art and create their own style. Many SENIOR artists take AP Studio Art. “I was kind of shy about doing AP,” SENIOR Claire Greweling said. “I was like am I good enough? Would I be able to make it?” Greweling decided to try the class and has not regretted it. “I realized, especially in the years that I didn’t take art, that this is something I need to do, because it’s kind of what makes me, me,” Greweling said. AP Studio Art has allowed students to SENIOR Emily Jordan holds her painting titled Orange. “You can literally do whatever you want... there’s no rules, like if you have to paint or if you have to draw, you can just do your own thing,” explore a variety of styles so they can develop their own. Eventually they complete a Jordan said about AP Art. concentration, a collection of pieces with a similar theme. Greweling focused on classical paintings of teenage girls, some of which were on display at the art show. Creative freedom is a defining part of Studio Art. SENIOR Emily Jordan has experimented with different mediums and subjects, from portraits to scratchboards. As a sophomore, Jordan also took photography. “It was film photography so that was interesting to learn because it’s not something people do that much anymore. I think it’s good that we still teach it here,” Jordan said. WHHS has helped many graduating artists discover their passion and find their footing in the world of art. “I think I’ll miss the people. The people in this art class inspire me to be a better artist, I think you’re better at art when you’re SENIOR Claire Greweling shows her piece titled The Mountain. “They say writers write what they surrounded by other people doing art,” know. I think artists should also paint what they know… it really represents what I want to say rather Greweling said. than just making a still life,” Greweling said. ALL PHOTOS ON PAGE BY BRIANNA JONES/CHATTERBOX