By Tanisha ’21
Throughout my six years at Harvard-Westlake, I have used many different types of media to cultivate lifelong passion for visual arts. The visual arts program encourages students to express their creativity regardless of their experience, and there are courses to suit everyone’s interests. I have been inspired by viewing student and faculty art in our on-campus galleries, where we display work we have created over the semester.
My journey in visual arts has been extremely fulfilling, and the quality of my work has improved year after year. I was delighted to have the opportunity to take Foundations in Visual Arts for a full year in 7th grade. This course introduced me to various techniques and media, such as animation, photography, ceramics, and painting. My favorite project was making paste paper, which is an ancient form of art used by bookbinders to decorate book covers. In 8th grade, I took two semester courses: Introduction to Clay and Glass and Drawing and Painting: Technique. In the drawing and painting class, I experimented with light and shading using oil paints on canvas. I really loved creating art with clay and glass, and because of this, I decided to pursue three-dimensional visual arts for the next four years.
In high school, I have enjoyed working on the potter’s wheel, firing ceramics in the kiln, creating sculptures, and blowing glass. The glassblowing facility at the upper school gives students a unique experience that is not available at many schools. I never know what my creations are going to look like before they are completed, which adds an element of mystery and surprise that keeps me constantly engaged. While working on the potter’s wheel, I learned to make tall cylinders and bowls by consistently working with thoughtful awareness as I centered the clay, raised the wall and shaped the sides. It allowed me to develop a higher degree of craft which gradually refined beyond the introductory level.
In my senior year, I chose Directed Study: Art which allowed me to work at my own pace on a curriculum designed by me under the mentorship of my visual arts teacher. Due to school closure, I was introduced to mosaic as a new medium to experiment with at home. As I have always had a deep love of nature and history, I selected a theme that connects me with nature and ancient civilizations.
My mosaic journey began by reading about ancient Egypt, and then I explored other ancient cultures that believed in harmony and balance with nature. I started by sketching out the idea and then selected, cut, and applied tiles of various colors. As my supply of glass tiles became limited, I introduced glass shards and other media. My mosaics evolved as I moved from one theme to the next. While working in self-isolation, this work brought a great deal of satisfaction to me, and I hope those that view my mosaics found joy in what I created.
Harvard-Westlake’s Visual Arts program offers many opportunities and resources for students to learn painting, ceramics, glass, photography, video, and much more. I have always been enamored by other students’ work, especially those that have won national awards from prestigious organizations such as Scholastic Art & Writing Awards and YoungArts.
Throughout my journey, I have developed focus and perseverance while deeply considering my abstract concepts and challenging myself to attempt new media. I am very grateful for the supportive environment at Harvard-Westlake that has allowed me the opportunity to pursue visual arts, and I believe the technical and analytical skills that I have acquired will benefit me greatly in the future.
