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By Douglas McCulloch
Hometown Weekly Staff
The halls of Westwood High were transformed into an art museum last Tuesday as the Westwood High arts department hosted its annual “Encounters with the Arts” event.
Every art class in the Westwood High arts department had their works on display for the public to view. From graphic design, to photography to painting and videography, virtually every form of creative art Westwood High offers had something to show off.
Performing arts classes were also well-represented, with frequent performances by music classes, drama classes and chorus classes. Westwood High’s Video Production class showcased a short film they had been working on in class as well.
In addition to performances and art on display, the art department hosted a number of “Join In” sessions, allowing those in attendance to create their own works of art. The department offered paper marbling, cut paper silhouettes and paste paper stations to create works of art.
Every year, Westwood K-12 Art Director Katie Thurston noted how impressed she is with the works the district’s high school students have to offer.
“The students are just phenomenal,” Thurston said. “We are very lucky to have a teaching staff that are experts in what they do.”
Thurston noted that even after completing a work of art to display at the event, a lot more work goes into preparing to exhibit it at the Encounters with the Arts. Students must be able to discuss and analyze their art, prepare a brief statement about what their work of art means, and articulate meaning to the public as they view the art.
Jim Howard, a drama teacher at Westwood High, oversaw his Drama 3 and Drama 4 classes as they performed a variety of humorous improv skits at Encounters with the Arts. He worked with his classes to create several skits to showcase his classes’ talents at the event.
“It’s a nice opportunity for the different disciplines of art to see each other’s work,” Howard said. “We do not have that opportunity very often.”
Click here to see more photos from Encounters with the Arts.
