Senior Kirsten Swain’s painting “Divine” embraces color, depth, and imagination in a piece that makes the viewer introspect. As a part of her exhibition examining a variety of “embraces and how they manifest in different relationships,” Swain explores the human dynamics that make up everyday life, reflecting them into intimate shapes and colors. The addition of metallic gold accents in both “Divine” and her other works, like “My Sweet,” attracts and controls the viewer’s attention, guiding them through her artwork. The rich red acrylic paint used on the woman’s dress, given form and texture by careful shading, brings a regal sense to the painting, while the contrasting black and silver moons in the background, underwritten in gold, reminds the viewer of a solar eclipse, a depth to the image of divinity Swain works to portray.

“Happy Death Photos” by senior Zindzhi Ottley, is a tribute to the range of emotions that are felt during a period of grief. Displayed as a lengthy rectangle with monochromatic colors, this piece intends to replicate a photo booth printout. Beginning in the first image, we see the initial stage of grief when an incident just occurred. Following every image from top to bottom, we see reality setting in, rage, depression and acceptance. The darker colors allow for a grim but calm tone. The lack of color unites the images into one repeating process which never ends. Grief is experienced differently by everyone, but is often expressed in a very similar manner as shown in Ottley’s work. “It is an imitation of a photo series from a photo booth and describes how someone can continue to feel these stages through the process of grieving over and over again,” Ottley wrote.

Senior Kieron Kane chose the idea of service as the angle of exploration for his IB art exhibition, and this theme is beautifully portrayed in his micron drawing titled “Unconditional Love.” The piece depicts a giraffe, carefully detailed in micron shades, with a human baby grasping its neck. Kane said he designed the piece around “the adaptations that parents make to their lives and even realities based on the needs of their kids and how they serve their kids through this devotion.” The idea of parental love and devotion is apparent in the drawing as the strange image of a human baby in wildlife contrasts the still, gentle nature of the giraffe–also echoing the title in how the giraffe loves its child even if it appears to be a human. The visual is immediately eye-catching, and viewers can appreciate the time and dedication a piece so intricate and detailed would have taken.

Senior Adi Bala’s Deep Space Explorer is a striking fine-liner drawing that blends themes of human ambition, technological advancement, and nature’s persistent force. The piece depicts an astronaut gradually being overtaken by organic growth; the detailed pen work captures the juxtaposition between rigid, mechanical elements of the spacesuit and the flowing, organic lines of the vegetation, which creates a compelling visual tension. One of the most thought-provoking aspects of Bala’s work is its commentary on the human drive to expand beyond Earth. The overgrown vines, which resemble cords connecting the astronaut to a space station, call to an inevitable interplay between scientific progress and the pull of nature. Bala’s usage of grayscale also enhances the theme of rationality, which reinforces the calculated nature of space exploration. The darkened astronaut helmet, reflects an obscured or distant world, which further emphasizes the vastness of space and humanity’s small yet determined role within it. By merging these elements, Bala creates a narrative that is both introspective and universal, and makes this piece a profound addition to his exhibition on human purpose.

Senior Tina Kent wrote in her artist’s statement that the aim of her work was a sustained investigation into the negative aspects of modern pop culture in society, and her work ‘Who? What?’ is clearly a reflection of that goal. Using a combination of bright colors that jump out as well as more subdued gray and black tones, the artwork highlights a young woman who struggles with self-confidence about her looks, her eyes blotted out by a streak of rose pink to highlight the problems of selfishness, vanity, and naivete that are often hidden behind the glamorous facade of the pop culture industry. Every color serves a purpose, from the vivid colors surrounding the woman to her body painted in gray-scale tones, serving to illustrate a clear contrast between expectations and reality. ‘Who? What?’ achieves its goal of criticizing the negative aspects of the pop culture industry while being a visually stunning, serene piece of art, highlighting the invisible struggles that are faced by many within.

“Dance the Night Away” by senior Mia Hall is a 2D colored pencil artwork that tells the story of a ballerina through movement and precision. The piece highlights the passion, dedication, and artistry of a performance by illustrating the different positions of a faceless dancer. Each pose seamlessly flows into the next, capturing the grace and discipline required in ballet. Through delicate lines and shading, Hall effectively coveys the fluidity and elegance of motion, making the dancer appear almost lifelike. The artwork features a neutral color palette of beige, black, brown, and soft pink, enhancing the classical feel of the piece, and reflecting the traditional colors associated with ballet. A light brown background allows the ballerina to stand out, emphasizing the intricacy of her form making the dancer the focal point of the piece. The repetition of figures follows a consistent pattern, reinforcing the balance and structure that define ballet. Ultimately, Dance the Night Away is a tribute to the beauty of performance. Hall’s ability to convey emotion and movement allows the audience to experience the energy of the dance. The piece captures the dedication of a performer and the artistry that makes ballet an enduring and captivating form of expression.