On November 21st, the Australian High Commission held the opening of the 2018 IN exhibition, a select show featuring students’ artworks from different international schools in Singapore. This year, I had the privilege of participating in and attending the exhibition. Having been to the show last year, the plethora of beautiful work presented by groups of young, talented artists did not fail to surprise me again. The following SAS students had their work featured at IN this year: Claire Aronson, Megan Cabaero, Friyana Cooper, Callie Elms, Timothy Goh, Rachel Lee, Gabriella Overtveld, Devika Sharma, Radhika Shivaprisad, Lauren Sidarto, Han Sohn, Nina Suzuki, Mina Troise, CD Truong, Angela Yandrofski, Laura Young, Ariana Lau, and Chuxin Zhang.
There is no doubt that SAS is not lacking in its pool of talented artists. Its community is one of the strongest at SAS. Personally, being a four-year art student at SAS, I have had the privilege of becoming a part of this community. I have become accustomed to the fact that “the suite” is like my second home, and the people there are like my second family.
“Some of them made me feel as if I was welcomed into a family, and I even viewed some of them as my maternal or paternal figures in the arts.”
-Jacqueline Lee, three-year AP art student
Group of art students working and chatting in the 3D space of the art room during lunch. Credit: Han Sohn
As opposed to the nature of a traditional classroom, Miss. Harvey, the head of visual arts at SAS, and my high school art teacher for four years now begins her classes with an attendance question: “If you were a cupcake, what flavor would you be? If you could have dinner with anyone right now, who would you have it with?” The often goofy and sometimes personal questions allow her to get to know the kids better on a deeper level — for who they are as a person — not just as her student. It also continues to reinforce the relationship the art students have with each other and strengthens the community.
However, the art here at SAS does not only remain restricted to the classroom down at H100A. You’ve probably walked down the hallways, passing by the large banners of artwork hung on the walls with the words like “Alice Harvey, Class of 2018” printed in the bottom right corner. The following banners can be attributed to the seniors of the National Art Honor Society. When it nears the end of the year, members of NAHS will vote on around 16 pieces of artwork done by seniors. The final works will be printed on banners and hung on the walls around the school. This “tradition” becomes a way for the seniors to leave their final mark on SAS with their art.
Studio and AP art students coming into the art suite during flex to work. Credit: Han Sohn
Jacqueline Lee, a four-year senior art student at SAS, says that for her, the art community has left quite a positive impact on her life: “For starters, everyone is so approachable. Some of them made me feel as if I was welcomed into a family, and I even viewed some of them as my maternal or paternal figures in the arts. As cheesy as it sounds, the art community at SAS feels like a family that helps me become the best version of myself.”
I am grateful to have been able to become part of a strong community so early in my high school career— a community that I can rely on who has ceaselessly guided me and made me a better individual. Where will you find your “community” at SAS?
