Art Class Highlights

By Serena Grant and Barrett OBarr

Art class in middle school can definitely be compared to elementary ones as more
advanced. More freedom with each new creation, guidelines that are more than one day
templates, and pieces that everyone can enjoy looking at. Currently, Holmans art classes are
working on several extended projects. The seventh grade art classes are currently working on a
project labeled the Pop Art Project, a great example of the several public display projects that
have been completed so far and which will follow in the future. The whole idea is to put your
own twist on another pop artists style that our Huskie artists have previously learned about in
the short unit.
One project that Mr. Elza, one of the two art teachers, has noted to be a great example
of the creativity put into the project outline by the students, was a giant pizza. Shaped after
Claes Oldenburgs larger than life style, the pizza should be as big as one of the art class
tables. Another great piece of art we noticed was something similar to Jim Dine (who generally
creates heart paintings with swatches of abstract colors), but instead of a heart as the subject
matter, it was replaced with the Avengers logo.

Some projects the classes have already done show that great time and thought have
been put into the rubrics them to let the students express their originality with the ideas given,
such as the Fairy Tale project where kids can illustrate and twist a bedtime story of their choice.
When asked how the different projects help to teach the students of each grade level,
Mr. Elza replied, Sixth grade is about learning how to do different things in art, seventh is about

art history and learning what your particular style is, and eighth grade is about carrying on that
particular style and seeing how you can improve that as you go along.
Many of these projects are still underway, but some have been completed, or are yet to
be announced. Keep an eye out for them in the halls, and think about how much time, effort,
and creativity was put into each work.