Sparks of ideas take place in room C227. A select few juniors and seniors spend time working on college-level art studies.
“We do about 24 pieces in total for AP art. [However], you have the option to take AP Art as a junior and do 12 pieces, then take [the class] again senior year to finish up the other 12,” Joyce Cometa (12) said.
At the end of the year, students are expected to submit their work in portfolios for the AP test. Students work on the skills needed to be expressed in those portfolios, such as “breadth,” a term used to say how wide an artist’s skill set is.
“Junior year is spent working on the breadth and trying to come up with 12 pieces. Senior year is mostly focused on what is called the concentration and and [making] 12 pieces. All the kids have to have at least some art [experience] before. They can use [pieces] from a previous art class if it’s college level,” Mrs. Maureen Yaegar, Art, said.
The 12 students in AP Art work on various projects in one lesson. Each piece of artwork possesses an identity of its own.
“I expect that they are producing work at a higher level than they have before [and] when you look at it you go ‘wow.’ I always tell them when someone says ‘it’s nice’ that’s good, but when they go ‘wow,’ it means they really don’t know what to say because it’s so breathtaking. I expect that they are always working to get to the wow level,” Mrs. Yaegar said.
These students are expected to use the knowledge accumulated in this class to help further their careers and better their art.
“The final goal of each student is to obtain college credit after completing this course. However, even if one doesn’t receive a five, they still get the preparedness necessary to excel in college and careers. They’re prepared for whatever they go into,” Yaegar said.
The amount of work and time put into AP Art will prepare students for the obstacles and demands in their college and professional careers.
“This class will benefit me by teaching me to really put all I have into my artwork and will train me to handle the immense work load I’ll have in college,” Caroline Chavez (11) said.
