Flintridge Prep’s First Quarter Art Show

Flintridge Prep’s art students displayed their work to faculty and fellow students in the first Quarter Art Show of the year. Students from Melissa Manfull’s, Tim Bradley’s, Ricardo Rodriguez’s and Biliana Popova’s drawing and painting, photography and ceramics classes each contributed work and exhibited it in the three connected art rooms.

True to Prep fashion, the show highlighted the innovation of the art department and provided a strong sense of support to the art students especially. Mr. Rodriguez describes the quarterly shows as valuable, saying “it gives students the chance to see what peers are working on” and to celebrate their work in a casual, fun environment. “It’s a community,” he says. “It validates what they do.”

Drawing and Painting
Inspired by graffiti artist Banksy, Ms. Manfull’s 9th through 11th grade drawing and painting class created stencil art to be displayed on campus, involving spray painting the work on newsprint, then wheatpasting it to their surface of choice, such as building and planter walls. Her 10th grade students made interactive coloring pages, where viewers were asked to take a copy and color it on their own. The pages require cutting, folding or other similar acts meant to engage the audience.

Photography
One of Mr. Rodriguez’s assignments combined film and photography in projects displayed on computer screens. Termed “cinemagraphs,” the pieces each feature a still frame from a film that is layered over the moving film so that only part of the image moves. Subjects included a drink being poured into a still cup, a still campus scene with cars zooming past and a still arm holding out a lighter to a flickering flame. Mr. Bradley’s photography class works included 9th grade student-made pinhole camera shots, AP Photography student portfolio selections and an assignment on symbol subversion, in which students selected a common symbol and altered its use in a creative way.

Ceramics
Pieces from Ms. Popova’s ceramics groups encompassed a wide range of styles, from minimalistic to playful. 8th through 12th graders completed studies in shape, form, color and texture, each with their own personal take on the assignment. One series involved grayscale fruits in matte finishes. Another featured vibrant and angular vases in glossy or metallic finishes. Ellie Levy ’17 displayed two intricately patterned bowls from her ceramics independent study collection.

Thank you to all involved for sharing your work with students and faculty here at Prep.

For a more comprehensive look at the work, check the frequently updated art department slideshows.

Flintridge Preparatory School, 4543 Crown Ave., La Cañada Flintridge, (818) 790-1178 or visit www.flintridgeprep.org.