News

Filter By:
Showing items filed under “Upper School”
in Upper School

PCA Students Recognized For Exceptional Artistic Talents!

main image

This year is the first year that PCA has entered the highly competitive Scholastic Art & Writing Contest, and their talents were well received.

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are “presented by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers…a nonprofit organization whose mission is to identify students with exceptional artistic and literary talent and present their remarkable work to the world. The Awards give students opportunities for recognition, exhibition, publication, and scholarships. In 2021, students across America entered nearly 230,000 original works in 28 different categories of art and writing.”

Under the guidance of PCA’s own renowned art teacher, Nicole Seitz, three of PCA’s art students submitted work into the competition, where each entry is judged and selected for awards “without knowledge of the student’s gender, age, ethnicity, or hometown,” and are judged on works that exemplify the Awards’ core values: originality (work that breaks from convention, blurs the boundaries between genres, and challenges notions of how a particular concept or emotion can be expressed), technical skill, (work that uses technique to advance an original perspective or a personal vision or voice, and shows skills being utilized to create something unique, powerful, and innovative), and the emergence of a personal voice or vision (work with an authentic and unique point of view and style).”

Pieces created by senior Spencer Evans, and juniors Cooper Anderson and Zella Horton were awarded and/or recognized.

Spencer Evans, Painting, Honorable Mention "Under the Overpass"
Cooper Anderson, Painting, Honorable Mention "The Library"
Zella Horton, Drawing & Illustration, Gold Key "Self-Portrait"
Zella Horton, Drawing & Illustration, Silver Key "Creative Hands"
Zella Horton, Painting, Silver Key "Two Birds"  
Zella Horton, Painting, Honorable Mention "Holiday Reflections"
Zella Horton, Drawing & Illustration, Honorable Mention "Better Not Whisk It" 

 Zella Horton’s Gold Key awarded piece for her "Self-Portrait" has been automatically entered into the National Contest and is currently on exhibit at SCAD (The Savannah College of Art & Design) in Savannah, GA. What incredible talent we have in our Art 2 and AP Art students!

 

in Upper School

Art 2 Honors Students Design Set For Middle School Play

main image

While the actors are in charge of bringing a story to life with their actions and words, an artist's job is to make sure that the stage brings the audience into the world of the story, and that is what Nicole Seitz’s Art 2 Honors Class was charged to do.

It all started in November with an idea. “Jenni Brown showed me what scenes other schools had done” explained Setiz, “and let us get creative.” 

But what does “get creative” look like? It starts with a sketchbook. Looking at pictures of sets, and the scenes that brought Aladdin to life, students took inspiration from them and began to put thought to paper.

With ideas in hand and a green light from Brown, the hard work began. Students primed foam boards from previous school productions and Seitz sketched the scene designs for her students to paint. Everywhere from marketplaces and palace walls, to balconies where magic carpets would land, it all came together with a stroke of the paint brush. 

When the outline was done, students began to plan the color schemes that would bring these outlines to life. “My favorite part was working on the Cave of Wonders,” said eleventh grader Grant Blackwell. “I thought it was the coolest panel and I enjoyed working on the eyes the most.” 

Classmate Cooper Anderson also had a “cool” experience as she was asked to sketch a panel of the marketplace which was "satisfying" to see all come together with the help of her classmates. “One thing the students learn is how to collaborate,” said Setiz, “you have to be okay with others working on your work.” One person might prime the board, another might sketch, and all hands may have some part in painting varying aspects of the scene. And in the end, it all comes together to create a fantastic world which will delight audiences as they step into the story of Aladdin Jr. 

12...33343536373839404142 ... 113114