Art Current Events | Archive I

This page is the source for all the information on the current activities and fund raisers of the Washburn Rural Art Department.

Art Staff:
Gina Baer-Witt, Department Head
Michael Mize
Cindy Daniels
Brad LeDuc
Theresa Shetler Logan

The Art Geek of the Week is a new student recognition program that celebrates those students that pour their hearts and souls into their art classes. While these students might be exceptionally talented artists, that is not a requirement to earn recognition as an Art Geek. A student's work ethic, attitude, and behavior in the art room are all characteristics that might garner them the nomination. Currently, all the Art Geeks receive a t-shirt with the above logo and a weeks worth of display space in the art hallway and main office. We'd love to have this program sponsored by a local business which wold allow us funds to reward these students with some other art related goodies. If you're interested in sponsorship feel free to contact any of the art teachers.

Taylor S. is our current Art Geek of the Week!

Click here for a list of past Art Geeks

The Blue Print is a huge art exhibit that showcases student artwork that was created throughout the 2009-2010 school year.  Any student that was enrolled in an art class this year is eligible to submit work for possible exhibit in the show.  The Blue Print is scheduled this year for April 26-28 and will be on display in our fabulous new library. In addition to the opportunity to have their work on public exhibit, the students will have a chance to receive recognition from a number of different award categories.

Up for grabs are honorable mention certificates, silver and gold medals. Trophies for the Principal's Choice and the Foundation Choice. As well as cash prizes for two purchase awards and the Best In Show. A panel of judges have been selected to jury the show and select the award winning artwork. The judging panel includes: Edw. Balda, former art teacher and local artist.  Bruce Petersen, former art teacher and current HR Director for Auburn-Washburn.  Catharine Morris: elementary art teacher

The exhibit will be set up and judged on Friday, April 23rd. Any students winning a commendation will be notified with a blue star on the name tag of their artwork when the exhibit opens on Monday, April 26th.  Students with blue stars are encouraged to attend the Awards Ceremony that night at 7:00pm in the WRHS Library.

The logo for the The Blue Print this year has been selected and is displayed above, it was created by student graphic designer, Jake Gregg.  Each of the Graphic Design students enrolled this semester were challenged to create a logo for the Blue Print. From these, the Art Dept. Faculty narrowed the results down to 6 nominees.  These six logos were shown to all the art classes and the students voted to select the winner.  Congratulations Jake!

View a slide show of the Award Winning Work from the 2009-2010 Blue Print

View a pdf file of the Award Winning Work from the 2009-2010 Blue Print

View and print the invitation for the 2009-2010 Blue Print.: Please feel free to print and distribute copies of this invitation to anyone that might be interested.  Thanks for your support!

See the Final 6 Nominees in the Blue Print Logo Challenge

View the Award Winners from last year.

The WRHS Art Dept. would like to welcome Bryant Laude who is joining us this semester as a student teacher.  Mr. Laude is currently an undergraduate student at Kansas State University, and in May will be receiving his degree in Art Education.  He and his wife have both lived in Kansas their entire lives thoroughly enjoy the rapid change in temperatures.  They are both student teaching this semester in Topeka schools. Mr. Laude extremely enjoys the Renaissance period because of the political climate of that time, and also the fact that it was the birth of the Ninja Turtles!  His favorite piece of art work is Michelangelo’s Pieta.  Mr. Laude is excited to be able to help further your student’s education in art.  If you would like to see some of his art work you may visit his website.

Once again we are planning to host an Art Night Lock-In as a fund raiser for the Blue Print.  The Lock-In is an all night event in which 20 students will be invited to spend the entire night at school with the art teachers creating original paintings and artwork  The Lock-In will be on the night of Friday, February 26th, from 7pm until 7am the following morning. 

We are excited to announce that this year local artist Barbara Waterman-Peters has graciously agreed to act as guest artist for the event.  Mrs. Waterman-Peters has agreed to spend some time painting alongside the students at the Lock-In.  In addition, she will also be conducting a two and half hour workshop on Friday, February 19th in which she will demonstrate painting techniques and help students generate ideas for the paintings they will create on the night of the Lock-In.  All of the paintings created during this one night event will then be auctioned of at Southwind Gallery on March 5 from 5:00-8:00pm in conjunction with the Topeka First Friday Art Walk.

Last year we also had the privilege of hosting a visiting artist during the evening. Lawrence artist Paul Flinders spent the entire night with us talking and painting with the students. Mr. Flinders generously donated the two paintings he created that night to the fund raising efforts.

• See the artwork available at auction from the 2010 Art Night Lock-In
• See photos from the 2010 Lock-In
• See photos from Barabar Watterman-Peter's Workshop
• See the news story on Barbara Watterman-Peter's Workshop for the Lock-In Participants
• See the artwork created at the 2009 Art Night Lock-In

Congratulations to advanced art students at Washburn Rural High School who recently competed in Scholastic Art.  Scholastic Art Awards are the largest and longest running recongnition program for young people in the United States with alumni of the awards including Truman Capote, Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath and Robert Redford.  There were 1547 entries this year to the show and only 313 were accepted for exhibit.  Washburn Rural received two out of the five best of show awards (American Vision Nominees).  Senior art students reeived a total of $41,500 in scholarships from area universities at the Scholastic Awards Ceremony held at the Wichita Center of the Arts on Sunday, February 8, 2010.  All of the Gold Key winning work will be sent on to be juried in the National Scholastic Art Show in New York City this coming spring including works by students Alex O, Hanna Y. and Kimi F.

See the full list of students who were awarded for their efforts and received top honors for their work.

See pictures of the field trip and award ceremony, and student award-winning artwork.

On Friday, Feb. 5th a group of WRHS art students joined Mrs. Daniels and Mrs. Shetlor Logan in attending the  WU High School Art Day.  Students had the opportunity to take various workshops with Washburn's Art Faculty, visit the Mulvane Art Museum, meet peers from other high schools as well as Washburn students, and display their own artwork in the John R. Adams Gallery. Workshops included Ceramics, Photography, Digital Arts, Sculpture, Bookmaking, Painting, and more. Each member of the WU Art faculty is a working, exhibiting, and nationally known artist, and this was a great chance for our WRHS students to work alongside these talented educators.

Students were also invited to bring one piece of their own artwork to participate in a juried exhibition.  Our own Lisa Peterson was awarded the "Best of Show" for her print "Restless Attman"!  Contgratulations, Lisa!

See pictures from the days events

Visit WU Art Home Page

The WRHS Art Department is hosting a new event at the high school that is meant to connect multiple subject areas in an combined effort to explore and investigate a specific world region or culture. The first annual Cultural Heritage Week is focusing on the Middle East and/or Islam. Check out the poster for more information and a schedule of events.

• See the Pictures
• See the Artwork Purchase Award Winner!

• Read the article from CJ Online about the Teen Panel Discussion of Middle Eastern Cultures.
• Schedule of Events

 

Art Current Events | Archive I