It’s spring semester, and ceramics is on a roll. I am having a great time teaching ceramics at Anacapa. The students are enthusiastic and keep so busy that they hardly take a break. In recent months, they have been busy making plates for the annual auction and creating works to be displayed at the SB Fair & Expo. And let’s not forget the upcoming Anacapa Art Show in May. The students have made and are making some creative and exciting works. We hope you’ll stop by the Art Show on campus from 6:30 to 7:30pm on Friday and Saturday, May 12 and 13—just before the school play—to see their pieces.
In class, the students are exploring all aspects of making pottery by hand including various clays, construction techniques, decorating options, and firings. They are provided with many resources for ideas—books and magazines dedicated to ceramic and pottery art, field trips for creative ideas, and examples of ceramic art brought to class—all intertwined with discussions about ceramic form, function, and history.
The variety of hand-building techniques include pinch, coil, and slab (thank you, Gordon, for the new slab-roller) are explored through both functional and sculptural works. The students were given an overview of glazes and surface decoration and have explored texture through mold making, texture tools, and using objects from nature.
I have tried to create a class environment where the student, whether beginner or pro, has the opportunity to explore his or her own creativity. Students often expect to be told what to do, but I tell them the secret is: the best stuff resides within themselves. My job has been to guide them and show them the unlimited possibilities while still offering the technical skill to support them to make it happen. And I hope to accomplish this in a very relaxed, fun-filled atmosphere.
~~ Paula Campanelli
We’ve had a dynamic year in Beginning Photography and Advanced Photography! Anacapa students never cease to amaze me with their creativity, dedication, and enthusiasm.
This year’s students have produced an impressive collection of photographs. Walking through Lassen Hall reveals an art gallery of images reflecting their hard work and extra time spent in the darkroom—everything from the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden’s wildflowers to getting wild with the animals at the Santa Barbara Zoo. In addition to using some of the traditional photographic processes, we’ve explored creative alternative techniques such as Polaroid transfers, which are also currently decorating the walls in Lassen Hall. We’ve entered an impressive number of images into the 2006 Santa Barbara Fair & Expo as well.
Our advanced students have explored digital composites, one of which involved a fellow classmate superimposed standing next to the pyramids of Egypt! Currently in production, students are using stop-motion photography with a still camera to create a short clay-mation film featuring characters created by the Beginning Photography class. Keep your eyes open for a Breakfast Club premiere!
~~ Ryan Bowden
This has been an exciting time for the animation class at Anacapa. This is my first year teaching at the high school level and, of course, this has meant a new and different style of class. It has been a period of adjustment for both students and teacher, and I think we have all adjusted quite well.
In this class, the focus is on practical knowledge and the application of sound principles so that students come away with an understanding of animated filmmaking, from concept through finished film. At the same time, we try to never lose sight of the pure enjoyment and excitement that comes from creating and seeing our drawings “come to life.” The idea is to learn the basics and enjoy the process. I believe this class has accomplished both.
All of the students are working hard on short individual film projects. It is fascinating to see the variety of creative work that comes out of an animation class. The students display wonderful imagination in their concepts—from super-hero kitchen utensils doing battle against evil oven mitts bent on stealing a tray of cookies, to a man who cannot convince authorities an illegal alien (from out of this world) has moved in with him, to a hapless guy jumping from an airplane who discovers he has everything in his parachute packet except a parachute.
A note of thanks to the school for supporting this class as well as providing the up-to-date equipment. It has been a rewarding year.
~~ Tom Decker