It’s difficult to miss the commotion around the Gooding Gallery that happens almost once a month and even harder not to be tempted by the now coveted chocolate-covered strawberries. In case you missed the latest art show on January 24, it is highly recommended to take a stroll through the gallery before the work is taken down and plan on attending the next.
Every art show put on by the Bolles Art Department has a carefully curated selection of mediums from photography, paintings, ceramic, and sculptures made by the students—with the exception of the faculty art show at the beginning of the school year. Just like performing arts, this celebration of the visual arts is the culmination of months of hard work on both the artistic and administrative side.
“Every month the art teachers will get together and they will talk about the number of pieces they want to put in. If there is a project going on like Tiffany Gonzalez’s bust project, we might show multiples of that project,” explains Laura Rippel, the head of the Bolles art department. “They figure out how they divvy up the gallery so they can have an opportunity to showcase kids’ work who maybe haven’t had a chance to get seen before.”
Once the pieces are selected, the gallery curator and director Christopher Hicks will decide what pieces should be displayed next to one another or figure out if pieces need special accommodations when being displayed, like being hung. The walls of the gallery are then filled with sketches, photos, and paintings. The display case underneath the stairs is normally reserved for ceramic work and the front wall of the gallery is reserved for art done by elementary students.
“We want to be aware and make sure we are showing art from all the different areas, including lower school,” says Rippel.
On the artists’ side, many of the pieces shown take weeks or even months to complete. The gallery is not limited to those taking honors or AP art classes which opens the space up to art done by foundations students and classes like painting one. The work you may see on a pedestal in the gallery likely took many sketches to plan and many mishaps to make.
“We want them to be celebrated because it’s a lot of work. So many people who aren’t involved in the art who may be respectful of it but don’t do it, do not grasp the amount of time and effort it takes to put into these pieces,” says Rippel.
The art shows also do not let viewers fully understand the kind of collaborative work that is done many times in the studio art rooms.
“Many times, something is going to be mentioned in collaboration that is going to end up in your piece,” says Rippel.
This collaboration is not limited to inspiration or unique perspectives on a student’s work. It also comes with critique and criticism. Especially in an AP class setting, artists are expected to participate in critiques in order for the final product you may see in the gallery during art shows to be the best version of a piece.
“People are afraid of critique but it’s the most important thing you do. If you don’t have any pushback, your work will never improve. It’s really important that we give them the opportunity to both get the accolades but also that bravery piece of putting your work out there,” says Rippel.
So why come to the art shows if the pieces stay up for a few weeks? It may be a tad crowded sometimes but it’s a small price to pay for the supportive and festive environment that is curated. You will see parents, teachers, students, but most importantly, artists. The artists in the art shows are encouraged to attend the art show and explain their work if asked.
“We really want our art students to be confident in their work and be able to talk about their work and go to these shows and explain why they did what they did,” says Rippel. “It’s important that we are consistently putting it out there, we are educating our population and were making sure that they are aware of the value of what these students are doing.”
It’s guaranteed that you will find some great art, engaging conversation, and if nothing else, delicious chocolate-covered strawberries.
