by Abby Kim ’23
Wyoming Seminary is planning on having several student art exhibits for the 2022-2023 academic year. In recent years, covid has affected Sem’s ability to show student art. With a normal school year in swing, Sem plans on displaying more throughout the year with at least three exhibits per term in the KCCA gallery.
The most recent past exhibit consisted of students’ color theory assignments. Each piece played with overlapping colors to create a painting that shows value (the color’s intensity) and hue (the relativity to the main colors such as red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet). Mr. Webber, an art teacher at Sem, says, ”it has to do with the processes that students and artists use to employ color contrast”. Most of the art in the color theory exhibit was from Wyoming Seminary’s highest art course, AP Studio, which Webber teaches. The course focuses on advanced drawing and design skills. Other courses like Ms. Ayer’s, an art teacher at Sem, drawing and design, ceramics, and Webber’s Advanced Drawing will also be showcasing artwork in the near future.
The next art show planned to follow the color theory exhibit consists of self portraits. Student pieces will be in several mediums including charcoal, pencil, and oil paint. Compared to the color theory exhibit, this exhibit is more so about the creative interpretation of the artist. Webber says, “the self portrait show is by its nature more light-hearted and playful”. The exhibit is also upper school wide, including works from grades 9-12.
Webber and Ayers, for the remainder of the year, plan on supplying very creative and original exhibits. Webber says, “I try to have a large variety of exhibits”, so we can expect a wide range of themes. Being back in person helps connect the wide variety of themes to the Sem community. Webber is “very excited to have in person exhibits again”. He says “the role of the gallery is varied and there are times when we’re trying to communicate with the outside world”. With everyone back on campus it is much easier to do so.
Sem artists also greatly benefit from the school’s ability to provide in person exhibits. Cat Ziegler ‘23 says “it is great to be fully back in the studio”. Cat, along with several other students, currently has a color theory piece up in the KCCA. Cat says “the process of the color theory piece was challenging, but also fun. I gained a better understanding of contrast and color, and I am glad that this year allows us to show our challenging work in person”. So with in person school fully back, the Sem community can expect a lot of promising work in the KCCA this year.