The Richard Montgomery AP/IB senior art show at Richard Montgomery (RM) High School occurred on March 10th, and it showcased the art of 25 students. The theme of the night was Ever After, and the RM gallery was decorated with twinkling lights, hangings vines with flowers, and stars, which all lit up the room. The soft light made the gallery seem warm and inviting, just like a fairy tale, and prompted the viewer to look inside to see the best works of the AP/IB seniors.The art was shown in a gallery as well as on large stands that fold into four sections for each artist. It was led by the head curators Maria Soboleva and Kai Samuels-Jackson, who are both currently RM seniors, and the AP/IB art teacher Mrs. Posey.
A lot of these young artist’s works were driven by social issues, like Alexandra Ratkowski-Howe’s commentary on the need for action on climate change through sculptures made out of recycled materials and cartoon-like posters. Each student based their artwork on a theme. Maria Soboleva created her own twists on classic pieces of art like the unique interpretation of Piet Mondrian, allowing her to keep the original layout of the work while adding smaller details on top of solid colors.
Sydney Sun demonstrated her talent in realism in drawing, and her experimentation with unique materials. Her piece, Noodles of Love (done in watercolor), and the landscape “Reflection in the Sky” (acrylic on canvas) are great examples of how attentive Sydney is to details. The piece “Empty”, which was done on scratchboard with X-acto blades and pushpins is indicative of her versatility in art, since she was able to achieve realism with unusual materials and details for one-point perspective.
Caroline Cornish’s art was also politically charged, as well as motivated by the music that inspired her as a child. Her work depicting two Hyacinth Macaws, completed for the International Fund for Animal Welfare, tried to bring attention to endangered animals and their consistently decreasing population. Her inspiration from music, especially in the 60s’ and 70s’, is shown in the majority of her artwork. In her piece “Road trip to Woodstock”, the viewer is shown a story of two people enjoying each other’s company, without the use of technology.
Many other artists were featured in this gallery, but the ones mentioned in this article are the artists that caught my attention. It is clear that the artists were able to break out of their comfort zones and experiment with new mediums to find what they love. Kai Samuels-Jackson comments, “I used to always think that I had to stick to a certain style, because that’s what I’m good at, but I feel like taking AP art has helped me [branch out] instead of sticking to something that I’m good at.” Many of the students have been taking a variety of art classes since freshman year, such as Jasmine Shaker’s experimentation through the years with art through different digital, studio, or painting classes. This is a talented group of individuals that worked tirelessly for years to improve their art, and it shows in their artwork that they are doing what they love.
Article by MoCo Student staff writer Hazel Hoppe of Richard Montgomery High School