In the back wing of the AHS building, artists slave away, sewing, painting, and throwing clay. After two years of hard work, seniors in the International Baccalaureate art program are able to exhibit their results in the in the annual IB art show.  

From April 9-13, students’ creative works were on display for the community to see in the Black Box Theater.

Each of the second-year IB art students picked 10 or 11 pieces to present in the exhibit. AHS senior, Cameron Seltzer showed his passion for architecture through the pieces he carefully chose.

“Whether it be that it showcases technique, or a certain theme you’re approaching, or a certain media you’re trying, I think you can do a great job at catering that to what you want to convey,” Seltzer said. “All of the artwork you make is really your own and you kind of decide what you want to make, so when you hang it up and the way you hang it up and what pieces you choose is not only expressive of who you are as an artist but how you curate and how you are able to see what fits together.”

Most of Seltzer’s work consists of observational drawings and monochromatic work.

“I kind of spaced it by the shapes that appeared and the color scheme. The right side of my show was all black and white and then as you moved left, the pieces got more and more colorful until you reached my most colorful pieces,” Seltzer said.

Over the two-year course, IB art students develop and improve art techniques and styles which is later conveyed in their closing ceremonious gallery showing. Seltzer’s IB art classmate, Ashley Soderberg has seen the developments between the IB art I student and the IB art II student.

“You can see, I think, within the two year kids and the one year kids, how two years really develop to their overall thinking and creative process when it comes to organizing, what you’re going to do first and various layouts,” Soderberg said, “and you see within kind of the one year kids how, I think it’s difficult for them to really connect to various ideas and the cohesion of their work, as well. I think that’s probably the biggest thing with the two years is like seeing where your ideas develop.”

While Soderberg will not be pursuing art as a career, she will take the therapeutic hobby with her to the next stage in her life.

“The biggest thing for me, specifically, when you’re taking multiple IBs and APs, art was a way for me to relax and so that was something I’ve mainly taken away and that I want to keep pursuing within college is just finding time to doodle really quickly, or getting even a coloring book or something because it’s a really nice way to unwind,” Soderberg said. “That’s something I’ve been really grateful about taking this course in general… to have this one class that you genuinely enjoy because you get to relax.”

Seltzer will not be pursuing art as a career, but will be pursuing architecture. He was able to use the IB art course for the benefit of his aspiring occupation.

“In IB art you really explore how to make things look realistic, so being able to add those small details really showed,” Seltzer said. “I kind of took IB art because I knew it would help me with that, and I like being creative. I knew I could focus [IB art] more toward architecture with the flexible curriculum.”