AP 3-D ART AND DESIGN
Gabriella Hanna
Name of the Artwork
Hoffman Estates High School
University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago
Height: 5”, Width: 6”, Depth: 17" | Idea(s): "Break yourself fighting 4 wholeness" symbolizes the destruction wrought by correction over acceptance | Material(s): Stoneware clay, acrylic paint wash, leather hyde, jute rope, encaustic wax, natural stone eyes | Process(es): Created a ceramic ram to structure as a harness and compose image as an icon of passion | Curatorial Note: This work’s fusion of fashion design, sculpture, and performance powerfully conveys emotional states while also functioning as a compelling form of self-portraiture.
STUDENT STATEMENT
Does your art connect to or take inspiration from any past or present art styles, techniques, or traditions? If yes, how?
With this specific piece I was heavily inspired by a ram rhyton from the Bronze Age in Greece. After building it I wanted to make it my own, so I made stylistic changes (adding stone eyes, chopping a horn off, making the belt strap, etc). For the actual photo, the posing and cloak suggest the style of religious Renaissance art.
How did you bring together different ideas, influences, or inspirations in this artwork?
I remember going on a field trip to the Art Institute of Chicago with my class only a couple of weeks after several of my pieces failed to be completed—there had been a leak in the storage room where they were being kept, and they fortunately melted, becoming unfit for the kiln. (I say “fortunately” because if this massive failure had not happened, my project would not have been rebirthed.) I walked through the exhibits, still mourning my pieces, and these Greek animal-head vessels were the only things to strip the widow’s veil from my view. The ram cup I saw at the last minute gave me hope and inspiration for years to come. Another (vague) inspiration in my project was Lady Gaga. My teacher told me, “Nobody would wear that except Lady Gaga,” while pointing at one of my pieces. Although my project does not reference her, I wanted to capture the same bold and unapologetic sense of glamour that characterizes her style.
How did critiques or feedback from your teacher or classmates help you strengthen synthesis in this artwork?
My teacher, Mr. Medina, is a very blunt person. When he doesn’t like something, he does not hold back. His critiques helped me strengthen synthesis in my artwork because they were, ultimately, much-needed honesty. Throughout my AP journey I was constantly sucked into details and wasting time overcomplicating simplicities. My teacher snapped me out of such distractions and guided me toward legitimate objectives. This helped me strengthen synthesis because my work ethic has become more refined and purposeful, and I was able to recognize intention within my work more tenaciously.
How did synthesis in this artwork make it more meaningful or impactful for viewers?
This specific piece is about the concept of having to sacrifice in order to gain; to “break urself 4 wholeness.” I synthesized ideas and symbols that I knew would foster conflicting feelings in the viewers. I knew the overarching concept would be relatable, especially in connection to such a common experience—religion. Many see religion as a source of comfort and guidance, while others see it as problematic and traumatizing. No matter the initial feelings, the addition of the gore is supposed to muddy it even more. I want my art to be unsettling and evoke a sense of discomfort. I think the juxtaposition of something “holy” with something intense achieves this—whether it stirs up feelings of unease, reflection, or understanding.
Did you revise or refine any artworks before submitting them as Selected Works? If yes, what changes did you make and why?
I changed almost all of my pieces before submitting them, and I think the biggest changes came in this piece. I made small adjustments—like renewing the blood wax and adding some acrylic wash—but, most importantly, I fully redesigned and remade his belt. I cut a new leather strap, relaced the macramé borders, and engraved the saying “break urself 4 wholeness” into the leather. I made such a big structural change because I was not satisfied with the result. I wanted a more polished and intentional feel with the roughness of the rope and the ungentle lettering, and I wanted to use color more effectively.
What do your Selected Works show about your growth as an artist?
Across my entire animal-head series, this ram was the very first piece I created. I think that this one’s being my selected piece for this exhibition validates my exhausting dedication to this project. In the beginning, this was the piece I was most unsure about. I initially wanted it to be a cup, like the rhyton I had fallen in love with. But I strayed from that vision, and I came up with my own. I find great strength in that because it’s very difficult for me to stray from things I’ve been attached to for so long, or even for so short—like tunnel-vision. For this to be the piece that made everything else fall in place gives me great faith in not only my art but also in myself—but aren’t they the same, anyway?
What did you learn about yourself as an artist in the process of creating synthesis and curating your Selected Works, and how will you use that learning in the future?
In the process of creating synthesis and curating my Selected Works, I learned just how picky I am with my art. I’ve always been told how detail-oriented I am, but my love for detail was so extreme during this project that it felt self-sabotaging at times. I would become so invested in the eye folds or the tooth gaps that I would neglect the base of the structure. When I inevitably had to fix the base, the details would get mucked up and I’d have to redo them. Discouragement might be expected in this situation, but I felt the opposite. I was always excited to return to the details, even having done them a dozen times before. What I learned about myself is that I am far more enveloped by the process than the outcome. And, in this realization, I started to see risks differently. Every time I built, destroyed, and rebuilt, I was already taking small, subconscious risks. Sometimes it’s more dangerous to do things the hard way—and it’s that fervor that I’m enthralled by. If I had more time, I would reshape those teeth with every chance I got. Before, I was scared to take conscious risks with my work, but now I am fully aware that risk is the part that I love. I will apply this newfound knowledge in the future by taking not only more risks, but also more demanding ones.
Material(s): Stoneware, acrylic paint, leather, yarn, wax, stone eyes, plastic beads, cloth flowers, copper wire | Process(es): Original ram belt: Additive & reductive base, painted, embellished with flowers, weaving, & beads
My wearable sculptures explore human emotions, tendencies and flaws manifested as primal character animal archetypes.
TEACHER STATEMENT
Juan J. Medina
Art & Media Department Chair
Hoffman Estates High School
How often did your class meet?
Our school runs on the block schedule. We meet every other day for 94 minutes.
Is AP Art and Design taught at your school as a separate course, or is it combined with other art classes? Please describe the structure of your AP Art and Design course.
When scheduling, I work to group upper-level students. I traditionally group level 3 with AP-level students. When a student is taking a more rigorous academic course load, I schedule them wherever it best fits their schedule. My student Gabriella Hanna was one of two AP students in a level 1 3-D Art class.
How did you guide students in developing and refining their inquiry statements and portfolio direction during their Sustained Investigations?
Guiding my students through the development of their thesis statements is my favorite part of the first six weeks of school. My process includes requiring my students to photograph their artifacts using multiple vantage points for a one-on-one critique. Using their computer or iPad for visuals and a notebook for support sketches and written statements, they present their work to me. I ask them to critique what part or parts of their Sustained Investigation statement are defensible by their artifact and where the gaps exist. These one-on-one critiques yield confidence to present their topics to the class and the rest of my staff in the art and media department. Early in the process, one of the most difficult questions to answer by my students regarding a second or third piece is, “Is this evidence of exploration or deviation from your Sustained Investigation?” Once they can answer this question with bravado, the student is ready for independence.
How did you help students strengthen technical skills and apply design knowledge (elements and principles) while also developing creative problem-solving habits?
My instruction, beginning with level 1 classes, focuses strongly on skill acquisition and fundamental design knowledge. I teach my students that visual communication and the techniques we employ are skills that require muscle memory. By requiring that students create multiples, my students’ technical skills and confidence exploring art mediums increase dramatically. My assignment rubrics have open cells, the purpose of which is for students to add or change design criteria. This helps in making the assignment more meaningful to the student. By giving them room to customize, their vested interest in the assignment is heightened, which is needed when they inevitably face unforeseen engineering problems. My AP students are accustomed by my assignment structure to engage in developing maquettes, multiples, and comprehensive sketches to begin the art-making process with creative engineering in mind.
Material(s): Stoneware clay, acrylic paint wash, leather hyde, jute rope, encaustic wax, natural stone eyes | Process(es): Ram belt revision from green to brown leather, made a jute rim, engraved strap and filled with paint | Digital Tool(s) used: sketchbook pro app to merge both sides of my sculpture into a single composition to show revisions
How did you scaffold writing into students’ art making and thinking processes?
I begin the year by exploring potential Sustained Investigation topics in writing with each of my AP Art students. These are ongoing written conversations that were established the year prior to train my students to write about their making and thinking processes. At Hoffman Estates High School, we grade our students through a comprehensive portfolio review process. Their portfolio mirrors many of the AP writing prompts. We ask that our students include research, planning, and progress evidence and final photography for every artifact they create. We also ask our art students to self-reflect on the clarity of their concept as well as evidence of skill improvement. From the first to the last year of high school, we see confidence build in writing about their artworks in their digital portfolios.
How did you manage classroom resources and materials to support art making?
By nature, I am a collector. (My wife calls it hoarding.) I encouraged my students to collect manipulatives to explore in their works or share as a resource in the class. Collecting resources requires them to see objects as more than their intended potential; so, I send my students into the world to bring back discarded potential. AP students have slightly larger lockers at Hoffman Estates High School, and I allot larger shelf areas/cubbies in my classroom as needed. Once we have brought in the spoils of exploration, we dive into the power of ziplock bags to categorize and sort. If an item does not exist and is needed, much power comes from all-staff emails to find and seek donations of potential “art stuff.” You don’t buy yarn for your students; you collect it from someone’s garage!
In what ways did you integrate digital tools or technology into students’ creative processes?
The digital portfolio build is at the core of their art-making journey. It stewards almost every important critique. By constantly taking progress photos, my students can see and reflect on their progress. I guide my students to think of their photos as a second set of eyes, and whatever the viewfinder sees and captures is open to evaluation. I ask them to self-critique surface, subject–thesis correlation, breadth of technique, and intentionality with each of their Sustained Investigation artifacts. With their quality artworks, I ask my students to simply answer, “Is this what best represents your skillset, with said photo of that specific technique?”
What advice would you offer to other AP Art and Design teachers?
I advise my AP Art and Design community to lean into helping students discover who they are through their art making. When the work involves personal narratives, they are hardwired to tap into their undiscovered grit.
Process(es): Ram belt revision focuses on engraved strap "break urself fighting 4 wholeness”
PRINCIPAL STATEMENT
Michael Alther
Principal
Hoffman Estates High School
What makes you most proud of your school’s AP Art and Design program and its impact on your students and teacher(s)?
I’m most proud of our AP Art and Design program because it empowers students to discover and express their voice while developing confidence, creativity, and discipline. The work our students produce reflects both their individuality and the diversity of our school community, often engaging deeply with personal and social themes. Under the guidance of a teacher who fosters both rigor and reflection, students learn to take creative risks, embrace feedback, and apply those lessons far beyond the classroom. The result is a program that not only showcases exceptional artistic talent but also cultivates growth, resilience, and pride across our school.
What actions or priorities have you implemented to strengthen visual arts programming at your school?
We’ve made it a priority to strengthen our visual arts programming by ensuring students have access to a full and intentional course sequence that leads to AP Studio Art in Digital Media, 2-D Art, and 3-D Art. In partnership with our district, we’ve invested in renovating and customizing our art spaces to create studios that inspire creativity and support advanced artistic work. We also continue to expand how we showcase our students’ talent and work. These include building wide display areas, digital galleries, and community exhibitions so that their creative voices are celebrated both inside and outside of our school.
What advice would you share with other school leaders about building and sustaining strong AP Art and Design programs?
My advice to other school leaders is to invest in teachers as both educators and artists. When teachers reflect on their practice, innovate instruction, and continue to hone their craft, they bring authentic, real-world experiences that deeply enrich student learning. By fostering a culture of creativity, reflection, and professional growth, schools can build AP Art and Design programs that inspire both artistic excellence and personal confidence in students.
Gabriella Hanna
