AP 2-D ART AND DESIGN
Height: 40", Width: 60" | Idea(s): inspired by action shots of skaters, wanted to upscale my doodles into a full painting | Material(s): acrylic paint, alcohol markers | Process(es): drawn and colored large figure with alcohol markers, painted everything else, started 3 yrs ago | Curatorial Note: This bold and expressive large-scale painting captures the chaotic energy of skateboard culture through exaggerated forms and dynamic movement. Vivid color choices and the use of negative space heighten the drama and humor, creating a powerful visual impact that’s both playful and confrontational.
STUDENT STATEMENT
Does your art connect to or take inspiration from any past or present art styles, techniques, or traditions? If yes, how?
The only art it takes inspiration from is my own doodles that I wanted to augment.
How did you bring together different ideas, influences, or inspirations in this artwork?
At the time I started the piece, I was very into the graffiti style and watching skateboarding videos online. I’ve been doodling similar styles for a long while, and I ultimately wanted to augment my doodles once I was gifted the large canvas (40’ x 60’) a few years ago. I used some reference images of random skateboard action shots to draw the skateboarders.
Which materials and processes did you combine, and how did they work together to strengthen your ideas?
The piece went through many different phases of trial and error. I painted over and covered up multiple ideas while working on it. The main medium used is acrylic paint, but I also used alcohol markers to sketch the figures and add detail to the coloring. This combination is one I often use in my work; mixed media is where I feel the most freedom.
How did you decide which artworks to include in your Selected Works submission, and what qualities made them stand out?
I honestly just chose the ones I felt best showed my abilities and imagination and that tied together well with my Sustained Investigation.
What do your Selected Works show about your growth as an artist?
They show the variety of skills I’ve developed through experimenting with different mediums and trying completely different art styles.
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?
I learned that I can’t ever be tied down to just one medium. Honestly, I see that as a strength, given the endless opportunities to create just about anything I put my mind to or that I have an interest in.
TEACHER STATEMENT
Diane Gauthier
Art Teacher
West Linn High School
How often did your class meet?
Our class met for 90 minutes every other day. That meant we saw each other three times in one week, and twice in the other.
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.
It is a separate course. My AP Art and Design course tends to have juniors and seniors who’ve taken two years of art prior. Once in a while I will have a sophomore join the course based on a portfolio review. Sometimes students will take the course two years in a row, completing a new portfolio of work for each.
How did you guide students in developing and refining their inquiry statements and portfolio direction during their Sustained Investigations?
I use the AP Think Sheets and sketchbook work for the summer prep assignment. When we get back to class in the fall, students share their ideas with the group and launch their investigation from that point. As the semester progresses, students refine and revise their investigation. It usually takes 10 weeks to finally find a groove that fits their ideas. I find that students go through cycles in their process (kind of like labor!) as they struggle to birth a portfolio that they are ultimately satisfied with and proud of.
How did you scaffold writing into students’ art making and thinking processes?
Students answer the AP portfolio questions with each finished piece. They identify how their piece expresses the intention of their Sustained Investigation and how they uncover new questions and directions they wish to go in the next piece. They save their writing and summarize once the portfolio is near completion.
How did you use critiques and peer interaction to support growth in both Sustained Investigations and preparation for Selected Works?
We have small-group critiques at regular intervals of the process: at the brainstorming/ideation stage, at the midway progress stage, and upon the final finished piece. Students use the art critique structure of describing, analyzing, interpreting, and judging. The artist waits to speak until the group has worked through this process. It is quite amazing to watch the process of students’ observing the artwork and making insightful comments about their peers’ pieces.
In what ways does your school leadership support AP Art and Design students and the broader art program?
We celebrate our AP Art students each spring with a capstone gallery show. Family and friends are invited to come view the work, meet the artists, and enjoy refreshments during the show opening from 4–6 p.m. The public nature of showing a year’s worth of work is invigorating and satisfying. Students can see how much their work has progressed and what a huge accomplishment they have achieved over the course of the school year.
What advice would you offer to other AP Art and Design teachers?
Trust your students—give them plenty of room to develop their artistic muscles. Support, nurture, and encourage them in their efforts. Help them build confidence and take risks. Help them overcome perfectionism.
Karina Secchi
