The second Senior Art Showcase, which opened on December 14, displayed a diverse range of music-themed artworks. Whereas the first Senior Showcase embraced a cinema theme offering a popcorn machine and movie posters, the music themed gallery was decorated with music notes, records and posters. The event drew a large crowd, including family, friends and teachers showing up to offer support. Opening night included brownies, popcorn and candy for everyone to enjoy, accompanied by music playing from a speaker. The showcase was a celebration of the senior artists’ hard work and dedication.
Reflecting on the emotions leading up to the showcase, artists expressed a mix of stress and excitement. Renata Mariduena (12, VA) experienced nervousness as she tackled the meticulous preparations, including crafting artist statements, carefully matting and hanging up artwork and ensuring the overall presentation was visually appealing. After school from December 11-14, the group of seniors gathered every day, established a group chat and invested hours in setting everything up.
“After the showcase, I was very proud of most of my group and the hard work we put into the show,” Marideuna (12, VA) said.
One of the seniors who participated was Canyon Baggarley (12, VA). His pieces were mostly from junior and senior year, but his favorite piece was called “Apple Jam,” a textiles mixed media piece that incorporates embroidered patches.
“I’ve been able to improve upon my paintings and textiles skills over the last few years, and it’s also where most of the art that I’m really proud of comes from,” Baggarley said.
On display was Asia Leach’s (12, VA) big self-portrait, emphasizing her personal growth and effort invested in the creation of the artwork.
“If I could describe my art, I’d say it is a celebration of the black girl lifestyle, free from the confines of narratives rooted in slavery or racism. I hope that my work resonates with little girls, offering them a sense of inclusion and representation that I yearned for at their age,” Leach said.
As the showcase continues, the artists extend a warm invitation to the community urging them to come and witness the culmination of years of hard work and creativity. The exhibition comes to an end on January 11th.
