HCSD Art Show celebrates 47 years

HCSD Art Show celebrates 47 years

By Bree Dunckhorst Posted: March 20, 2020

The Humboldt County School District kicked off their 47th Annual Student Art Show on March fifth from 5 – 7 p.m. The Art Show is held at the Humboldt County Museum. It runs through March 27 and is open during museum hours which are 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Wednesday – Fridays and 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Saturdays. All Humboldt County students who take an art class are eligible for the show. The reason behind the Art Show taking place in March every year is because it is National Student Art Month.

Pieces by students are selected to go into the art show through a process the teachers do to choose them.

“Pieces are evaluated by teachers and then selected. Overall craftsmanship, medium and technical application play a huge role,” said Julia Topholm.

Not only do teachers put those elements into consideration, but they also consider much more.

“Student improvement and progress working with a medium also plays a part because it is important to showcase student work that shows they are working to improve skills and technique in the artistic process,” said Topholm.

The Art Show also gives many awards in the art show such as placing from first to third, Best in Show, and a Judges Choice. Lowry does a best in show for all levels.

“For Lowry, we had three Best in Show winners: Saree Milikan, Lizzy Rackley, and Araceli Rivas,” said Topholm.

Senior Natasha Owen won first place in the entire show.

Lizzy Rackley, a senior who is a Best in Show winner, has been interested in art from a young age.

“I’ve been drawing since I was really young but didn’t start to develop a passion until 7th grade,” said Rackley.

Rackley continued her art career since then by taking Art classes under Topholm and by taking on dance as a different art form as well.

Rather than sticking to one repetitive theme, Rackley has many things she loves about art including different types of art and her own art as well. Part of the appeal for Rackley is watching her work progress.

“My favorite part about art would have to be doing concept work and watching my ideas fully develop,” said Rackley. “My favorite kind of art is definitely the cartoon and pop art style.”

Rackley, as an artist, has tried hard to work on and to improve her art skills.

“Over the years I’ve tried to become more comfortable with different mediums at one point I struggled with such as watercolor, pen and ink, sculpture even acrylic painting,” said Rackley.

Unlike Lizzy Rackley, Natasha Owen never had a huge passion for art until recently.

“I took an art class in 7th grade and this year, and I really didn’t do much drawing or painting or anything until I took the class this year, said Owen.

Throughout Owen’s art experience Jenkins has been her only art teacher.

“Mrs. Jenkins is my teacher this year, and she was also my teacher in 7th grade,” said Owen.

Owen decided to take art this year because she wanted to try something new.

“I wanted to do art because I haven’t gotten deep into my artistic side with anything other than music, and I wanted to explore a new experience,” said Owen. “Art is not my main hobby, singing and playing instruments is.”

Owen’s favorite kind of art is Photo Realism because it captures all the details in a photo and is very raw and natural. It exposes the true nature of something.

Although Natasha is just starting her artistic journey, she has tried hard to make improvements as well.

“I’ve had to make improvements with my time management, definitely, but other than that I’m just learning as I go, just like everyone else,” said Owen.

These two artists differ in many ways and it definitely shows that you can use art to express yourself and that it is great to try new things. More artists’ work can be seen at the Art Show and enjoy all of the hard work and dedication they put into their pieces for National Student Art Month.

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