The feeling of the male gaze, a childhood memory, facing the world during burnout. Themes based on artists’ personal experiences all fall under the common theme of “People Watching.”

On Apr 8. senior seminar artists displayed their work in the Drake Gallery for the final time as high school students. The 14 seniors represented the theme of people watching through use of ceramic, photography, paint, video, or mixed media. During the

X-period reception, many peers and teachers came to support the artists and take a peek into their work.

Finding a theme was difficult for the seniors as their work pulls from personal experiences and unique perspectives. 2D artist

Violet Benson painted four memories from her childhood in acrylic and watercolor.

“My work doesn’t completely play into the theme, however. I painted people … and people will be looking at those people,” she said.

For others, the theme came more naturally. Fellow 2D artist Bri Rucker created three pieces with varying mediums.
They created a stained glass window depicting a skeleton in the Garden of Eden, a painting of dead flowers, and a plaster cake of bones. The flowers they described in their artist statement as a representation of facing the public while experiencing burnout and the cake was simply a last hurrah creative desire.

“[These pieces are] a commentary on how what you do matters and knowing that you can look back on choices you made,” Rucker said.

As this was the last show for many, their work served as a culminating experience. Sculptor Clare Kimmel created a clothed stick person. The sculpture, named Humphrey, wears thrifted baby clothes, a ceramic brain and wire angel and devil on each shoulder. Kimmel reasoning for this sculpture was similar to Rucker’s cake: she wanted to make it and thought it looked cool.

“Last year most of my sculptures were ceramic so first semester, this year, I only focused on wire. This semester I wanted to bring everything together,” Kimmel said.

The exhibit marks the end of their work on projects: “It’s a little scary [being my last show] but I have loved what I made,” Rucker said.
Benson agreed with the bittersweet feeling of the closing ceremony.

“It is strange that [it is] my last high school show,” Benson said.

The artists’ work concludes up to four years of art study and reflects some of the best of their abilities. The seniors’ art was displayed in the Drake gallery until Apr. 26.