MSJ Artwork Presented at FUSD Art Gala

by Staff Writers Anvi Kalucha & Monisha Saxena

The FUSD Art Gala exhibited art pieces from FUSD elementary, middle and high school students from 4:30-6 p.m. on March 11 at the district office. The gala’s purpose was to share student art from all ages and showcase what they have created throughout the school year.

The gala was set up in three hallways where parents and students could walk through and admire the art hung on the walls. The pieces were organized by school and were accompanied by a short description of the theme. Artworks from MSJ were arranged by type: 2D works were installed onto three separate boards, while 3D objects were displayed separately. Throughout the showcase, the pieces featured different art mediums such as ceramics, paint, and color pencil. Each board also had a different theme; Art 2 students such as Senior Amber Jiang worked on their personal symbols portfolios, which are drawn and embellished with images that have a special meaning to the artist, including their hobbies, cultural background, or favorite foods. For another piece, Art 3 Student Junior Amber Keenan used colored pencils to create transformation art: in which an object or creation metamorphosizes into another. This type of drawing focuses heavily on strong balance, rhythm, and movement in its composition, as well as negative space, which is the space around an object.

The gala’s planning is mostly up to the district teachers. Director of Elementary Education and Chairperson Robin Sehrt said, “ [The district] just opens the forum and the teachers really bring it to life.” Art Teacher Edie Christensen participates heavily in the gala, from bringing refreshments to the event to designing posters to advertise.

For the remainder of the year, art students will be working on various projects, including fashion design for Art 1, still-life sketches for Art 2, self-portraits for Art 3, and portfolios for the AP Art exam in May. Art 2 and 3 students typically design the murals around campus, but this year, Christensen hopes for them to focus on their own art so they can improve their individual technique.

The gala’s goal is to continue the support of the arts at the district level as the main showcase of student art during the school year. Looking at the arts at MSJ and within FUSD, Christensen said “I hope … that people enjoy the arts and appreciate their importance in education. They need to realize that arts are important and that they have a big impact on students.”