By Lily Angel
On April 27, the Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) Department hosted its annual art show in Highlander Hall. The art show featured the visual art that students have completed in various art classes as well as performances from music and dance classes.
One of the first performances during the art show was by VAPA teacher Todd Simon’s guitar class. The students performed an original arrangement of Mac DeMarco’s “Chamber of Reflection” accompanied by fellow VAPA teacher Daniel Alfaro on the drums. Students in Simon’s later periods performed “Ocean Eyes” by Billie Eilish. Meanwhile, Alfaro’s classes performed “Sunshine of Your Love” by Cream and “Mannish Boy” by Muddy Waters. The orchestra also performed songs from their competitions during their periods of the art show.
“At first I was really nervous and scared but once we all started playing it was pretty good and a lot better than I expected it to be,” senior Kira Bolden said.
Along with live musical performances, students from VAPA teacher Melissa Valenzuela’s film classes showcased their short films, music videos, and commercials. A few of the films shown were “Burt’s Bees” by senior Zoe Ayala, “Brewster and Dia Santa Clarita” by seniors Ryan Magana, Roman Lozano, Michael Yacoubian, and Toby Ramos.
This year’s art show showcased a greater number of ceramic pieces than previous years. VAPA Department Chair Julie Neumann’s ceramic classes displayed hundreds of art pieces including bowls, chess pieces, and Sugar Skulls. The ceramic artwork showcased a range of techniques and styles, each piece telling a unique story.
“I felt very proud that not just one but many of my ceramic pieces were displayed in the art show,” senior Caren Ramirez said. “It felt amazing to have other people see them and actually hear people talk about my ceramics pieces.”
The art show also hosted many other art forms which varied in medium from digital artwork, watercolor and acrylic paintings, to photography, each telling a different story. Some of the artworks displayed cultural motifs and symbols, reflecting the diversity of the students and their experiences. Other pieces depicted personal struggles and emotions, highlighting the artists’ individuality and creativity.
A few of the drawings that attracted a large group during each period of the art show were “Be happy it happened” by senior Gabe Bunny, “Weeping Meal” by senior Brian Diab and “Building” by senior Han Zhu.
There were also a variety of sculptures made from various materials such as metal, wire, and tape. The intricate details and unique designs of the sculptures were truly impressive and added another layer of depth to the already diverse art show.
Overall, the annual art show successfully showcased the talent and hard work of the visual and performing arts students at Granada Hills Charter.
It was clear that each piece of art had a unique story to tell. Each piece also clearly illustrated the students’ dedication to their craft as well as their teachers’ guidance.
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