Artwork will be displayed in Marion after league show
Staff writer
Eighteen Marion High School art students have been busy semester creating and perfecting entries for the league art festival today in Inman.
Senior Alicia Maloney finished glazing a foot-tall ceramic totem pole she made to re-fire in a kiln over the weekend. She said the project took about two weeks to complete. She said she’s pleased with the way it came out and hopes it fairs well at league.
Maloney is entering several works for league judging including a charcoal drawing of a soldier and a dragon piñata. She said her favorite is her watercolor painting.
“I had fun doing it and like how it turned out,” she said. “I have favorite aspects about everything I’m entering.”
Art teacher Janessa Wood said Maloney has had an especially hard semester getting things ready for league.
“It’s not been her year; for whatever reason she’s been hit hard with crazy accidents,” Wood said.
Maloney had a wing break off her totem pole, a leg fall off her piñata, and blue paint spattered onto a charcoal drawling.
“We’ve fixed everything back to where it looks good,” Wood said. “I think we’ve fixed the charcoal drawling to where you can only see the blue in the right light, but some major alterations had to be done to the piece to cover them. In the lighter areas it was a bit of a challenge.”
Other students like senior Brandon French had less bad luck with their projects.
French is entering three photos for judging, one black and white, one color, and one altered.
He said his favorite is his altered one. The photo is of a classic car and is in mostly black and white, with the rims of the vehicle in red.
French has been taking photos since fifth grade. He learned many techniques from his mother, who also enjoys taking photos.
This is his first time to enter photos to league, but he plans to continue taking photos and improving his photography skills after graduating.
Wood chose what she thought were the best pieces to represent her students’ skills. Her students will compete in categories ranging from ceramics and photography, to painting and graphic design.
“Many of the advanced kids are entering several projects, but I chose some from all my classes so we’ll have a mix of ages, and skill levels participating,” she said.
After league, works that place at league will be on display at Gallery 101 beginning Thursday and extending for about a month.
A public reception where guests can talk to the artists will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Gallery 101.
Wood said preparing for league has been a long and tiring process, but she is sure her students will do well.
“Up to this point it’s been hurry and get this done. When they think they’re done I always look at the works and say you should do this to improve it, so they’ve been working very hard,” she said. “Afterward we’ll relax with some fun projects. Last semester we did a cake sculpting project, maybe this year we’ll do something similar, but I haven’t decided yet.”