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By Laura Drinan
Hometown Weekly Reporter
In the front window of Wellesley’s Clever Hand Gallery, dozens of handmade goods caught the attention of passersby. Behind the goods were several posters picturing the faces of the students of Wellesley High School’s intensive ceramics class and intensive jewelry/metals class – the creators of the fantastic pieces in the window.
For the past eight years, the Clever Hand Gallery – a cooperatively owned gallery solely featuring handmade crafts from New England artists – has been partnering with the high school to bring the “Emerging Artists” exhibit to the gallery. In the past, students have put their work up in gallery for sale during the three weeks they are promoted, but this year’s participants felt too attached to their work to mark it for sale.
Nevertheless, the students’ creativity and talent stunned the community.
“One of our core values in Wellesley Public Schools is commitment to community, and this was one of the ways I wanted to highlight that in the art program,” said Wellesley High’s ceramics teacher, Amie Larson.
“It’s bringing together community artists – that don’t all necessarily live here, but are all active members of this community – and passersby can come and see that it’s high school work that’s here. It’s been a really nice thing to do, and it also teaches our students about all the behind the scenes work that goes into it.”
The students are responsible for packing their work to bring to and retrieve from the gallery at the beginning and end of the show to understand what artists go through. They even receive a grade from Larson on their professionalism while working with the Clever Hand Gallery, which includes their timeliness on transporting their work and attending the reception.
Students in the metals classes work with their teacher, Shayla Vines, on the collaboration with the gallery.
When it comes to grades, there is always some pressure the students feel, but many of Wellesley’s art students find their ceramics and metals classes to be therapeutic.
“I was really stressed today, actually,” began senior metals student Emma Soliva at the April 3 reception. “But as soon as I walked into the metals studio, it felt like everyone is so nice, and you have an outlet to create and not feel so constricted.”
For her personal series, Soliva has been creating “Alice in Wonderland” inspired pieces. On display at the gallery was a metal high-heeled shoe that she created with metal roses and vines wrapped around it.
Soliva, whose grandfather was a metalsmith, says she is unsure of whether or not she will pursue a specialized art degree in college, but guarantees that she will always hold an appreciation for the arts.
Junior ceramics student Sophie Laing showcased the vase she sculpted by hand at the reception. Laing fired her piece using a technique called raku to achieve a matte black finish on sections of her vase. Aiming to combine art and science, Laing aspires to design prosthetics in her future.
“Oftentimes, people think, ‘Kid work is kid work,’” said Larson. “These guys do amazing stuff. To think that their work does not stand out any differently from any of the pieces [at the Clever Hand Gallery]… I think that’s what is really nice about it.”
