Art teacher, Laura Johnston’s students displayed their talents in an art show on November 9 at Summit Art Gallery in Weirton.
The students from Weir who participated include Jayme Ball, Asia Beatty, Pia Desiderio, Sienna Finsley, McKenna Gatto, Ginafae Greathouse, Piper Pedrotti, Raena Reitter, Finch Bowders, and Savvy Swidowski. Also, students from Brooke, Madonna, Oak Glen, and the J.D. Rockefeller Career Center put their art on display. The competition was not between schools but between students.
The winners were picked based on many varied factors such as message, design, skill, or craftsmanship Mrs. Johnston was not allowed to vote for Weir, but voted on works from other schools. Some of the winners included 1st place to Finch Bowders, 2nd place to Asia Beatty, 3rd place to Sienna Finsley, and honorable mentions to Bee ball and Piper Pedrotti.
Johnston said her students had to “brainstorm and create multiple mini-ideas, that we call thumbnail sketches. Then they picked one of them to move forward with and created a rough draft and then a final copy.”
Her students had a month to work on their pieces in any traditional media including sculptures pertaining to the theme “It’s a Zoo Out There.” It was chosen by the surrounding schools’ art teachers and the staff at the gallery. These students have been working hard to highlight their talents in hopes of a win at their show.
Bee Ball, a senior, said, “I used Mrs. Johnson’s pottery wheel to make a little unhinged cat mug that will have whiskers at the bottom and say ‘perish.’”
Piper Pedrotti, also a senior, said, “I made a little painting depicting if you’re just sitting in a normal scenario outside and there’s animals sprinting through the streets behind you.” The painting shows a regular street perspective with a person drinking coffee and animals running in the street behind her.
Raena Reitter, a sophomore, said “I drew an eye and it’s supposed to be like people staring at you and all eyes on you at all times.” The drawings reads, “It’s Like a Zoo Out There.” It also has a red anxious eye.
The art show will be displayed until December 14.
