Art Spotlight: “Those Who Teach, Can”

Art always finds a way to captivate our minds, even in the ways we least expect. It can range from art masterpieces and exhibits, to live performances and music pieces. There’s sure to be some style of art to pique your interest and cause you to delve deeper into the creative and wondrous side of things. It’s easy to forget all about the hard work and devotion that goes into artistic expression. We adore the displays of color and fun as we get lost in our world of imagination. But such admiration sometimes leads us to neglect the passionate artists behind the scenes who worked so hard to get their time to shine.

On October 7th, 40 Point One art gallery hosted its annual art showcase, “Those Who Teach, Can.” The event included various art pieces from local art teachers in the Unit 4 District. This showcase aimed to display the personal artwork of each individual, and the evening managed to highlight how our teachers are masterful and talented artists, even beyond the classroom setting. As I walked around the showcase room that day, I was astonished by the vibrant, elaborate, and creative art pieces our district’s teachers were able to produce. In particular, the works of teachers from Central’s visual arts department piqued my interest.

The first group of artworks that caught my eye was titled “empty chair” by Ms. Carol-Lynn Comparetto. She used a combination of graphite on paper, cyanotype, gouache, and pend to form her work within eight individual picture frames. Each one had four to nine little squares of colored art that depicted little chairs as the main attraction. The furniture was printed in black and white, conveying a bleak and mundane feeling. But the vibrant hues of red, pink, yellow, and blue that Ms. Comparetto incorporated gave life to the ordinary images. When I noticed this sharp contrast, it was as if she made the scene more joyful with her personal touch of contained, creative chaos.

Artwork by Carol-Lynn Comparetto:

Mr. Shane Rodems, another Central art teacher, painted two captivating creations with colorful acrylic paints, oil pastels, colored pencils, and even some charcoal. He incorporated some warm and cool tones to help outline the main attraction in the center of both parts, which emphasized the abstract visuals immensely. The artwork on the bottom left has many different colors and uses neat techniques to create patterned effects. Meanwhile, the one below on the right feels solid and concrete. The dark charcoal lines that Mr. Rodems drew helped to embellish the figure in the middle and to balance the different shades of color. His skill shines through, and one can’t help but observe every detail of Mr. Rodems’ artistic and abstract expression.

Artwork by Shane Rodems:

Likewise, Ms. Tara Starling displayed her expertise in paper art and watercolor painting. Her first couple of artworks used colored paper, and though they were simple, I loved the intricate dark lines woven throughout the two pieces. The subtle details added to the designs made the colorful parts of the display pop out even more in my eyes. Furthermore, Ms. Starling made an additional watercolor painting for the showcase, and her proficiency in using the medium shone through. Muted yellows and browns encompassed most of the space, but she added bits of brighter shades of other colors to create a flowing, water-like surface. The scene has a grounded and natural feeling, encapsulating the vivid idea of moss and marshland.

Artwork by Tara Starling:

Meanwhile, Ms. Enrika Stulpinaite created a beautiful work of art on a lengthy board of oak wood. Ms. Stulpinaite used acrylic paint to create an image of a tall branch with leaves, as well as what appeared to be two moth creatures. I was fascinated by their otherworldly depictions of eyes and flowers growing from their proboscises. The closer I looked, I was amazed by all the little details that went into the linework of each individual design. The entire artwork had a very dark and mystical tone, and it was fascinating to pick apart its intricacies.

Artwork By Enrika Stulpinaite Maldonado:

The artwork contributed by Central High School’s teachers and art teachers around the district was astonishing in abundance and quality. Throughout the 40 Point space, this collection of art showed the wide range of different art styles, ideas, passions, and skills of each artist. Despite it all, one character remained clear as day; their talent for artistry is undeniable. It reminds us that our teachers, the people who walk alongside us in our educational journeys, are also imaginative individuals with incredible and creative minds. Undoubtedly, it’s safe to say that those who teach can make some of the greatest creations out there.