-
Pointing to the arm of a woman carrying a jug, Omisha Rai ’28 examines the hyperrealism of a portrait her friend made. Her friends gawked at the portrait, appreciating its attention to detail using oil paint.
-
Invested in the wall of paintings, Diyashri Karthick ’29 admires the different art expressions from the use of paint. Spectators roamed the exhibit, pointing out artworks that stand out to them. “I’m actually really proud of the work I submitted, and I don’t know if I’ll get these chances in other places so I’m glad I took this opportunity,” Karthick said.
-
Smiling warmly, juniors Jaylene Phrathum and Chloe Nanda admire a still-life drawing of a high-heeled shoe as its focus. Other students walked around the art show, taking in the details of each piece while eating snacks. “I’m very proud of submitting my art to the show, and it pushes me to be a good artist and continue to do my best,” Phrathum said.
-
Enjoying their refreshments, Kiera Jong ’27 and Claudia Sky ’26 discuss the realistic detail of a painting with a girl holding out her hand in front of a green background. Participants of the art show that invited their parents gawked at the art that was showcased, impressed that students created these works. “We all have different ways of expressing ourselves, and I think it’s cool that this art show reveals that,” Jong said.
After the final bell rang, students and staff gathered in the Great Room to admire the wide range of artworks displayed at the annual Winter Art Show, hosted by the National Art Honor Society (NAHS), from 4:30-5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 15.
Hoping to highlight the importance and strengths of the art department, NAHS officers were determined to showcase how visual arts reveals a student’s individuality. One month before the show, the officers matted and hung up artworks in the Great Room to make another art show successful.
“The vision to bring the art show together was kind of similar to the last two years,” NAHS Vice President Swasthiya Mahesh ‘27 said. “I wanted people to have the chance to see Westwood’s students’ artwork because I feel like art doesn’t get represented in many [school] events. For example, the band has their competitions and the orchestra has their shows, and I wanted for the art department to have a showing as well.”
As attendees gathered in the Great Room, students brought their friends to admire the displays. The art sparked conversations between friends, staff, or strangers. The different art mediums, such as painting, pottery, and crochet pieces, displayed varying forms of self-expression, showcasing artist individuality.
“I think we all have different ideas of expressing ourselves,” Kiera Jong ‘27 said. “It’s really cool how we all individually have our own way of putting out emotions onto canvases or a sculpture or even crocheting. It’s amazing how we come up with so many different ways to make art and to express ourselves to the school.”
The art also reminded spectators of the humanity in the pieces. Although grades are many students’ top priority, the artwork allowed spectators to engage their creative side, often not fully utilized in advanced and college-level classes, and gain inspiration.
“Everybody has such huge depths of creativity, and it’s just beautiful to see how [students] can express themselves in art,” Math Teacher Brian Youn said. “It gives good insight and a reminder of the humanity side that we often forget. We can get so lost in life that we forget about it, especially from grades and test results, but art is all about humanity and what we experience.”
Embracing creativity and unity through artwork, the featured artists invited their friends and family to attend. This created a sense of connection and pride in their completed creative works. As the art show came to an end, spectators left with a new impression and appreciation for visual arts: allowing them to reflect on their lives and gain creative inspiration.
“This is a really key event in the regard that students don’t necessarily get the opportunity to show their talent or skills,” Art Teacher Jesus Ramirez said. “Those students that are in art are given an opportunity to show off some of the work that they’ve created in our [art] classes. I think it’s important for them to see that their work is out there and create that sense of pride and accomplishment by showing their friends and their parents. The overlying premise behind our art department and the district is to create a sense of belonging, and through the art show, allowing students to show off and be proud of their skills really accomplishes our purpose.”
