AP 2-D ART AND DESIGN
YeHyeon Chung
Armor
St. Johnsbury Academy Jeju, Seogwipo, Jeju, South Korea
Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
Height: 10", Width: 17", Depth: 17" | Idea(s): Inner light shows purity; rough, dark shell with toothpicks reflects growth, defense, and resilience | Material(s): Plaster, modeling paste, toothpick, glue, and lamp. | Process(es): Formed a circle base, added rough texture with tools, tested light for contrast, and refined colors. | Citation(s): Inspired by Corey Elis's sculpture artwork to utilize a lamp to convey a message. | Curatorial Note: This inventive sculpture commands attention through its striking combination of materials. At once alluring and unsettling, it simultaneously draws the viewer in while pushing them away. Its eerie presence carries a compelling sense of power.
STUDENT STATEMENT
How did you bring together different ideas, influences, or inspirations in this artwork?
In Armor, I combined personal experience with symbolic representation. The idea of protection was inspired by both emotional growth and physical form, or how people create defenses after being hurt. I was also influenced by the contrast between vulnerability and strength found in natural forms, like a shell protecting something soft inside. By combining emotional introspection with visual metaphors, I created a sculpture that reflects both my personal story and a universal process of maturation.
Which materials and processes did you combine, and how did they work together to strengthen your ideas?
I used a lamp as the central structure to symbolize my inner self, a constant, glowing source of authenticity. Around it, I carefully arranged hundreds of toothpicks, a material that is both fragile and sharp, echoing the idea of self-protection. The contrast between the warm light and the harsh spikes emphasizes how my inner warmth persists despite the barriers I’ve built. This combination of materials physically embodies emotional duality—openness and defense coexisting within one form.
How did critiques or feedback from your teacher or classmates help you strengthen synthesis in this artwork?
During critiques, classmates encouraged me to focus on balance, ensuring that the outer layer didn’t completely block the light. My teacher also suggested experimenting with spacing and direction to create intentional gaps that let light pass through, symbolizing emotional openness. These insights helped refine the visual metaphor and make the connection between inner radiance and external protection clearer to viewers.
How did synthesis in this artwork make it more meaningful or impactful for viewers?
The synthesis of light and spikes creates a striking visual contrast that immediately draws viewers in. The physical tension between fragility and strength mirrors emotional tension, allowing people to relate the sculpture to their own experiences of growth and self-defense. Viewers often interpret the glowing core as hope or resilience, making the piece not only a self-portrait but also a broader reflection on the human condition.
How did you decide which artworks to include in your Selected Works submission, and what qualities made them stand out?
I chose artworks that best reflected my evolving understanding of identity and emotional expression through material and form. Armor stood out because it represents a turning point, when I began integrating conceptual meaning with craftsmanship. Each selected piece demonstrates growth in using symbolism, composition, and material experimentation to communicate ideas rather than relying on literal representation.
What do your Selected Works show about your growth as an artist?
My Selected Works reveal a shift from aesthetic exploration to deeper conceptual thinking. They show that I’ve learned to use materials intentionally, layering meaning through texture, form, and light. Across the collection, my voice as an artist becomes clearer—one that values honesty, introspection, and emotional connection through visual storytelling.
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?
Through this process, I learned that my most powerful work comes from personal reflection and vulnerability. By uniting emotion with form, I discovered that honesty can be as impactful as technical skill. Moving forward, I plan to continue exploring how materials can represent emotional states and how art can serve as both self-protection and self-revelation, a balance that Armor helped me understand deeply.
My guiding question is, "How can I use art to depict reinvention by joining things together through 3D media and techniques?"
Curatorial Note: This inventive odd sculpture demands your attention with its diverse combination of materials it both attracts and repels pulling us in and pushing us away at this same time. It seems to have an eerie power I find compelling.
TEACHER STATEMENT
Kristine Emerson
AP Art Teacher
St. Johnsbury Academy Jeju
How often did your class meet?
AP classes meet every day for the whole year for one hour each.
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.
Students need to complete at least Art Foundations before taking any AP Art class.
In what ways did you structure opportunities for practice, experimentation, and revision
into your curriculum?
Students practice, experiment, and document their learning throughout each project. This process allows them to test techniques, explore materials, and refine their ideas before moving into final creation. After completing their work, they reflect on the entire process, evaluating their choices, challenges, and growth. This cycle of experimentation, creation, and reflection helps them develop both technical mastery and deeper creative understanding.
How did you scaffold writing into students’ art making and thinking processes?
I introduce writing prompts at the beginning of the year to help students articulate their ideas and intentions. Over time, they learn to refine their writing, moving from broad reflections to concise, focused statements that clearly express their artistic concepts. This gradual practice strengthens both their visual and verbal communication, helping them connect their creative process to purposeful, reflective thinking.
How did you manage classroom resources and materials to support art making?
AP students are encouraged to use a wide range of materials to support their individual concepts and creative goals. I’m fortunate to teach in an environment where I can source specific materials that students want to experiment with, allowing them to explore diverse media and techniques. This flexibility fosters independence, innovation, and deeper engagement in their art-making process.
In what ways did you integrate digital tools or technology into students’ creative processes?
Students use digital tools to research ideas, document their creative process, and reflect on their work. This integration helps them organize their thinking, track progress, and make intentional decisions throughout a project. By combining digital documentation with reflection, students develop both technical proficiency and deeper creative insight.
PRINCIPAL STATEMENT
Gregg Shoultz
Principal
St. Johnsbury Academy Jeju
What makes you most proud of your school’s AP Art and Design program and its impact on your students and teacher(s)?
At St. Johnsbury Academy (SJA) Jeju, our AP Art and Design program continues to inspire students to merge creativity with introspection, and I am immensely proud of both our dedicated faculty and the visionary students they mentor. Under the leadership of our art instructors, students are encouraged to explore identity, transformation, and meaning through sophisticated media and conceptual inquiry.
What actions or priorities have you implemented to strengthen visual arts programming at your school?
As principal, I view the arts as essential to a holistic education. I support our visual arts program through dedicated resources for materials, exhibition spaces, visiting artists, and student participation in local and international showcases. Our teachers are encouraged to innovate and connect the arts to larger themes of character, inquiry, and community—the pillars of SJA Jeju’s mission. The success of students like Ye Hyeon affirms the importance of this commitment.
What advice would you share with other school leaders about building and sustaining strong AP Art and Design programs?
School leaders should champion creative programs with the same seriousness given to academic rigor. The AP Art and Design framework allows students to engage in authentic, university-level artistic research while developing their voice as creators. Supporting this means fostering trust, providing time and space for experimentation, and celebrating the courage it takes to make art that is both technically strong and deeply personal.
YeHyeon Chung
