Annual Student Art Show Draws Eager Crowd

By CATHERINE ELLERTON

Moapa Valley Progress

The Moapa Valley High School main halls were ablaze with color, captured moments in time and artistic insights on Monday evening, April 24. A ‘Lifetime Moments’ quote (unknown author) which read: “Art – The “earth without ‘art’ is just ‘eh’” said it all.

Eight years ago Photography/Design teacher Maria Chidester began this show to give her photography and design students an opportunity to display their work during that past year. It has grown in size and artistic ability with the inclusion of several different artistic media including Photography – Maria Chidester; Art – Donna Forrester; Construction – Clark Hardy: Culinary and Fashion – Lori Terril: and Ag/Welding – Denise O’Toole.

When first entering the main hall, one was drawn to the area devoted to the advanced art students. There were many interesting techniques and haunting moments. Abigail Wallace used a folded piece of paper stained with tea on which she drew a lady in pencil entitled “Worn.” This technique presented a very grave image.

Calista Casupang’s dark pictures drawn on blown up dictionary pages led one to find out more about the young artist. Calista advised that her Senior Year has been hard and she has been working on change as she has been “looking for herself” – which is reflected in many of her telling pictures. Her pastel/charcoal abstract of Sitting Bull won her a Special Merit award. Hopefully she will continue to develop her artistic talents as she enters CSN to continue her education.
Sage Jarrel won Best of Show with her graphite drawing entitled “Overgrowth”.
Maddie Curtis won a Reserve Champion award with her intricate work in clay.

Hannah Davilla, who loves art as it helps her to get her mind away from the negative, prefers pencil of all the art media. Her drawings incorporating beautiful calligraphy were an introduction to her desire of being a Tattoo Artist and owning her own shop in Las Vegas.

This reporter headed down the main corridor anxious to be involved in the stories that were captured along the way. There were hundreds of photographs and other crafts. An interesting black and white photograph of spider legs entitled “Arachnophobia” was captured by Sara Goodrich. Another picture that drew one’s attention was “Stitch” by Sage Stevens. It was done in the Pointillism method and was quite intriguing.

While in the Ag Mechanics Section of metal lamps an intriguing 1st place lamp by Shelby Olson invited an interesting conversation with the artist. Shelby stated that by accomplishing a heat treatment the metal would turn a variety of colors which were then carved with the design. She is a member of the High School Rodeo Club and took the lamp on as a project for grade in the class.

Jamie Leavitt created a colorful and intriguing design entitled “African Safari.” This was three red and yellow circles with designs of a monkey, tree and an elephant within them on a black background. There was also an interesting scratch board design of “Doggy Days.”

Further down the hall were the Graphic Arts pictures where compound shapes were taken to make the design then colors are added was explained by Tristin Laird who won a 1st place with her submittal. She plans to continue her education in psychology. The Construction Technology students’ work was presented next with a first place going to Kalib Hone and Kevin Morris for their Single Family Residence.

The awards for the Photography entries were presented by the Advanced Class students who were also in charge of arranging the show. This presentation has become a tradition of this show. This year Chappelle Kent won the Best in Show for a photograph titled “Fabrication.”

This show uses outside Guest Judges of the stature of local artist and mentor Max Bunnell and the photographs are taken to an Art Guild in Utah for judging to ensure impartiality.