Hannah King ’23
The Advanced Studio Art class is a college-level course designed to push students to the best of their abilities in the studio and help prepare their portfolios for consideration by colleges.
The intense rigor of the course provides students with experiences that an ordinary high school art class cannot. Spending a year in the course helps students graduate not only with extensive skills but with ingenuity as well.
For example, the class’ first assignment is the Rhode Island School of Design Bicycle Challenge in which students may draw anything they please, but it must reference a bicycle in some way.
About her intentions for the course, instructor Syd Caretti, who also serves as Director of Galleries, said, “From this course, I want the students to explore the limitless creativity in themselves. I want them to know that art is never ending and that it’s always inside of them. I’m thankful that I get to be there on their journey.”
One student in last year’s class is Dalilah Winter ’22. One of Winter’s favorite pieces, inspired by artist Enrico Rubisi, plays with distortion in perspective. Winter intended to “take scenes from childhood and create a distorted and creepy image.” She added, “I liked the way [Rubisi] experimented with perspective. His work motivated me to create an unconventional image of childhood.”
Winter feels the Advanced Studio Art class gave her an exceptional experience: “I learned so much from the Studio Art class. I thank Ms. Caretti for pushing me outside the box I was in and helping me expand my creativity.”
Current student Holden Walker ’23 concurs: “The class challenges me a lot. Ms. Caretti pushes me to use mediums that I am not quite familiar with. I started using water colors which I haven’t used before to create a piece for my portfolio. It is definitely hard but I love it.”
While some students, like Winter, draw inspiration from renowned artists, others, like Charli McInturff ’23, see their classmates as muses: “Everyone has unique styles in the class and by looking at their works it motivates me so much to get out of my comfort zone. ”
At the end of the year the members of the class create a collection of art works to put on display in the Cofrin Gallery at the Burgin Center for the Arts at an exhibition for the Mercersburg Academy community to enjoy—featuring traditional “sips and nibbles.” Winter’s work is just one of the many captivating pieces that remain on display in the gallery.