The most recent show on display in the Art Center was the Upper School Honors Art show, which ran from Dec 5, 2022 through Feb 1, 2023. The show featured students’ work from a variety of art classes, including 2D, 3D, sculpture, photography, and digital media.
One student, Taylor Weiss ’23, decided to focus her display this year on sports photography, curating some of her favorite shots from this past fall soccer and football seasons. While she enjoyed the process of taking her own pictures, she notes her favorite part of the show was “seeing other people’s work and what they decided to showcase. I love how when the show’s complete, the entire Arts Center hallway is completely filled with artwork and it’s really fun to walk around and see what my friends created.”
Another student, Kate Stone ‘23, exhibited an impressive technique called “light painting” and displayed many of her pictures along the walls of GA. Her favorite part of the show was “the reception that was held for the closing of the show” because it was “a moment to appreciate all the art being displayed that could have been missed.”
Photo Courtesy of Grace Taylor
The Honors Art show was not just limited to honors students. It also included hundreds of pieces from 9th and 10th grade who take visual arts classes. Nina Sager ’26 had two pieces included from her 2D art class, a charcoal portrait of George Washington and a still life sketch. While Sager loved being able to contribute to the show, she said “Overall, I really enjoyed how diverse the show was and how every department and talent/skills shined in their own light.” She also designed the poster for the event, where she exhibited the unique characteristics of each department on one page. Sager describes it as “authentically imaginative while simultaneously informative and pragmatic.”
Sarah Ritz, Upper School 3D and sculpture teacher, helped to coordinate the work in the show. She says her inspiration was “the artists themselves” because she “loves seeing creativity celebrated and supported.” This was the first show in three years to have a formal reception for the show, and Ms. Ritz commented on her love of “the energy, enthusiasm, and incredible perseverance” it brought.
David Love, Upper School 2D art teacher, also helped to organize the art in the show along with the reception. He appreciates seeing all the different works “juxtaposed against each other,” recalling how “exciting to see a painting hanging next to a sculpture, a photograph and a video… and that little change of seeing art in a new context, it can open up new possibilities.”
Because of these unique placements, he believes that the art displayed communicated “that the arts are thriving at GA, along with all of the amazing academic and athletic programs.” He also enjoyed coordinating the studio tours and artists reception, as it allowed him to show the GA community “a bit of the magic behind the scenes.”
Along with the art show that was on display, an artist’s reception was held on the evening of Feb 2. This was the first art reception in over three years at GA, so it was a special moment for student artists and their families. Guests joined together in the art center to enjoy refreshments and admire the art hanging throughout the Art Center hallways. The event was a great way to close the show, and truly reflected how “the faculty want to prepare the students for their future endeavors and to share with them the joy of making” as Mr. Love puts it.