On Feb. 12, the students of IB Visual Arts 1 and 2 received a visitor. IB teacher Kimberly Carroll, as well as school board member Marla Franz, came in during a work period and observed the students in the IB Art classes.
But what exactly were the students working on?
The IB Art program is an extremely in-depth class that focuses on the creation of art, as well as evaluating its purpose and influence. It is the next step for art enthusiasts who have already completed the Art 1 and Art 2 classes.
When the students first start the class, which encompasses both standard level and higher level students, they are introduced to the curriculum, which consists of starting a comparative study and brainstorming for the exhibition.
A comparative study is an examination of three different works by at least two different artists. The students explore the artworks both visually and historically, analyzing how those works have influenced them as artists. The process of creating their comparative study prompts students to think about what kind of works they want to include in their exhibition.
The student exhibition comes at the end of the students’ IB Art 2 class, which is typically taken when the student is a senior. This is where the difference between standard level and higher level comes in; while standard level students have to create four to seven artworks, higher level students must create eight to eleven artworks.
The amount of work and effort that goes into such an exhibition is enormous, including a several-page notebook and a document called a “process portfolio,” that documents the different experiments the artists conducted to get to the result.
The students, however, welcome the challenge.
“I think it’s a chance to show more of your artwork, which is good,” Jane Calhoun, a senior, said. “The comparative study teaches you how to research, and the process portfolio teaches you how to communicate the thoughts behind your pieces.”
IB Art is not an easy path to take, but for an art enthusiast, the classes are worth it.
“Search for what you’re really passionate about in art,” Denise Sanchez-Scaglione, the IB Art teacher at Oakmont, said. “What you choose to work on should be what you’re really interested in, and a willingness to experiment in those areas that are interesting to you.”
