Scholastics Art Show 2014: An explosion of talent

 

BY HEATHER HART

This year the annual Scholastics Art Show was held in a re-purposed bank. Art was hung throughout the lobby and offices. The large space was used to its full advantage, including a closet in the back of the building which contained an installation. Four televisions were used to play student films and portfolios. All works on display won a Silver or Gold Key from the Scholastics Art and Writing Competition.

Work of all media was present. The front rooms were mostly 2-D pieces while the back room (originally the bank's work space) had long counters that were filled with art ranging from sculptures to comic books to shadow boxes. 

Creamy pink icing, a fluffy donut with a sprinkle of... pills? Addiction by Julia Roberts is ceramic sculpture that is both aesthetically pleasing with a subtle reference to a more serious topic. Craftsmanship of the piece is wonderful as well as the idea behind the art.

Catherine Chen's Complementary Bunny is an adorable stuffed rabbit created of patterned blue and orange cloth. The rabbit is outfitted with a tweed vest and looks like something off the pages of a children's story book. The complementary colors make the bunny look more lively and playful. The choice of the cloth also impacts the piece as the floral patterns give the bunny a whimsical air.

Contained within a delicate looking glass case is a replica of a girl's bedroom. This tiny box, no more than a foot long, has a bed, two sofas, and even a pitcher of orange juice. It was crafted by Izzi Hays. Accompanying this sculpture is a collection of five photographs of the room in different exposures. The title of the piece is The Stages of Grief, which are depicted in the photographs, the different lighting representing the "stages." Overall this piece conveys its message well and the attention to detail is remarkable.

The 2014 Scholastics Show was definitely a success. It was hosted by Eg Squared, a nonprofit organization that supports youths in their artistic endeavors. Visit them at their website:

http://www.egsquared.org/

Photos were taken by 

Heather Hart (within article)

Catherine Chen (provided photo of her piece)

Maxwell Zengage (below)

Miami Art Basel: Waves of Art and Artists

BY HEATHER HART & ISABELLA PEZZULO

On the edges of the east coast beach, numerous artists were putting the finishing touches on their gallery spaces just as the swarms of attendees started to flow into Miami South Beach. From December 5 - 8, Miami will be hosting their annual Art Basel art fair.

Art Basel isn't a giant gallery or a museum. The main fair is held at the convention center where it seems that there are miles and miles of art, but it doesn't stop there. In the surrounding hotels different fairs are hung in rented out hotel rooms by all different types of galleries.

Visit Ink at the Suites of Dorchester and you'll experience rooms filled with art on paper in all types of styles, techniques and time periods. The use of the space is very unique, you walk into a suite and you realize you're in the bedroom as well as a gallery. The way the show was organized gave the viewer a cozy feeling, as if you were walking into the artist's private studio.

Photographed by: Maxwell Zengage

Walk just a few blocks and you'll arrive at the Catalina Hotel which is hosting the Select art fair. The first thing you notice is the giant installation that is coming down from the second story, over the balcony, and into the bar. The atmosphere is chaotic, it's quirky, and it's alluring. Wandering through the hotel you'll see art varying from bloody weapons on the wall, video art playing behind the bar, solo artists, galleries, and rooms overflowing with installations. While the hallways give off an ominous feeling, once you enter the rooms your eyes will light up at the sight of the work decorating the walls.

Photographed by: Maxwell Zengage

Eight hours and you still won't see everything. The convention center could easily take up your entire day. There's some talk about a breathing room?! There was a large cart where an artist was selling suns. We managed to find a jungle environment made out of animal skins, false and living plants, and medical walkers; and in the center there were vegan salads and a bar.

To really get into the minds of some of the artists, Artist Talks are free to attend at the Salon. Listen to interviews with artists such as Tracey Emin, Olafur Eliasson, Naomi Fisher, and Allyson Vieira. Strolling through the seemingly never ending aisles of art your head will spin trying to absorb it all. After each section it helps to take a breath and spend a moment digesting it all.

Photographed by: Heather Hart

To take a breather, one can always head to one of the various cafés or restaurants (vegetarian is available) within the convention center or of course head out to the ample amount of restaurants lining the streets. The beach is just a few minutes away if you want a relaxing break in the wonderful weather.

Aside from the art, the attendees are a sight to see. Numerous celebrities have attended/are expected to attend. Leonardo DiCaprio, Eva Longoria, Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, John Green, Cindy Crawford, Lindsay Lohan, and Tommy Hilfiger are among those who have been spotted mingling with artists and attending parties. Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Lady Gaga, and many more are expected to attend.

Miami Art Basel is unlike anything you've ever experienced. You'll be overwhelmed, you'll ogle at the art, the artists will astound you, and at the end of the day you'll close your eyes and realize what you just experienced was priceless.

A New Year, New Students, and New Art...

BY ISABELLA PEZZULO & HEATHER HART

Photographed by: Maxwell Zengage

In the past month, the Dreyfoos visual and digital departments had their annual Summer Showcase. This show is a chance for all of the students to display all their hard work created over the past summer. The gallery is served for juniors and seniors who have earned their spot through hard work and dedication to their art.

Building 9, the location of the show, is brimming with the artwork of the students. Each piece was hung by the students themselves, either after school or during class, The collection represents each individual in the visual and digital departments; it creates a mosaic of all different styles, concentrations, and  color schemes. Within the work are all different types of media. From paintings, drawings, and illustrations to sculptures, installations, and beyond, the pieces are hung salon-style on every inch of wall space.

Each year, attendance at the summer shows increase exponentially. From the freshmen going to their first Dreyfoos art show, to the seniors that are experiencing one of their last, the air is filled with electricity from the excitement.

Photographed by: Maxwell Zengage

The show itself was a hit, attracting parents and Dreyfoos students alike for opening night. The first and second floors were jam-packed with what seemed to be an infinite amount of curious eyes soaking in the multitude of works.

It's hard to leave the summer show without a sense of being overwhelmed with the sublime. The gathering of so much talent in one place for one special night is something Dreyfoos students can look forward to after every summer.

The whole Dreyfoos family is excited for the new school year! Be sure to check back for upcoming articles!

From left, Heather Hart and Izzy Pezzulo, the blog's new head editors and writers

Slideshow of images of the Summer Showcase

All images taken by Heather Hart or Izzy Pezzulo

Small, But Many Bargains!

By Tiffany Tirtarahardja

Photo By Tiffany Tirtaraharardja. 

Hands and rock photography by Heather Hart. 

On December 5 Alexander Dreyfoos School of the Arts open there new exhibition of the Miniature Art show just located in their gallery. The gallery was full of no bigger than 3 by 5 inches of art pieces which is why the show was called Miniature Art show.

All the art pieces where arranged by there media but they didn’t show the names of the artist. Many art pieces are on sale or for bargains, so this gallery would attract people who want to buy the art pieces. With many miniature art pieces, it’s not difficult to find wonderful art.

One of the art pieces is shown above. The photograph attracts me because you can’t really tell what the piece is. I think there is a hand and a rock or mountain which to me seems like the hands are creating the mountains.

Miniature Art, Huge Impact

By HEATHER HART

(All images by Heather Hart, 2012.)

DSOA Digital Media student’s piece depicting a dancer in the woods.

Today I visited the Dreyfoos School of the Arts’ Miniature Art Show and found that the art was anything but small. Each work was a mini-master piece that was simply in an itsy-bitsy package.

I thoroughly enjoyed the artwork by the DSOA students. I was particularly interested in the picture of a girl dancing in the woods. Placed in a cluster of equally tiny photographs, I was captivated by the graceful ballerina dancing alone in the forest. Oddly enough, the size of the piece seems to be perfect for the image itself. The first adjectives that pop into my head when someone says “ballerina” are “nimble”, “lovely”, and “dainty.” This dainty little picture is perfect in dimension for this scene.

DSOA Digital Media student’s piece that captures a forest

The reverse side to this picture is that it contains the typical “girl in the woods” subject, even though the photograph is beautiful. I also think that the perspective could be changed a little to make the picture more interesting. I can see the effort in the piece, but I feel like the camera should explore different angles instead of showing the ballerina in full. Plus, the rule of thirds could also be considered.

The layout of the gallery could be improved. The decision to week certain types of works together was a smart choice, but when you walk into the gallery you might wonder if you are in the right place. The size of the pieces make you want to go closer and look deeper into each piece, but they are spread out across the room. This would usually be a brilliant idea, to give each piece its space, but the effect on this gallery makes the view feel the gallery is sparse.

The talents of the visual and digital media students of Dreyfoos are defiantly displayed. The show makes it obvious that even the small pieces of art must be appreciated. While a large canvas is very “in your face”, a petite canvas is a more understated way to display a piece. So the next time you go to a gallery of all sizes,

don’t cut out the little guy. The small painting in the corner. The tiny sculpture in its own spotlight. Everybody enjoys a fun-sized candy bar, right?