Student’s efforts lead to first high school art day

Russian eggs, cartoons and bookbinding — those were only a few of the arts represented at Seaside High School’s first art day April 14.

The event was inspired by Seaside High School’s Hayley Rollins, who wanted to see more art programs in the schools.

“To our surprise every student was engaged with the art project they were doing,” Hayley said Monday. “They kept coming up to me after lunch to tell me thank you for making the art day, and that they hope I will do it again next year.  To me it made a big difference to hear the student’s responses to the art day.”

Now a freshman, she graduated Broadway Middle School with a passion for art and an understanding of Oregon’s legislative system.

Her plea was adopted by Rep. Deborah Boone and state Sen. Betsy Johnson, who brought her cause to the floor of the State House.

With the passage of House Bill 3042, the state launched “Honorary Artists of Oregon Day” to celebrate art and artists, to promote art education in the state of Oregon and to encourage engagement in artistic endeavors.

The bill asserts that art should not be an elective in Oregon schools, but a necessity, and that students should be encouraged to take art classes from preschool to college.

To celebrate and honor this day, Hayley worked with the Seaside High School staff and community to have local artists come into the school and teach art workshops for all the students.

Twenty-five Oregon artists donated their time, supplies, and art form in 90-minute workshops to all the students.

Each class had an experienced artist and teacher working with the students.

“The day was amazing for all who participated,” Hayley’s father, Broadway Middle School math teacher Trent Rollins said. “As you walked down the Seaside High School halls you could feel and see the enthusiasm in each of the classrooms as students were fully engaged in creating and learning different forms of art.”

Students tried their hands in glasswork, abstract landscapes, portrait oil painting, cartoon portrait sketching, acrylic painting, art therapy, photography, origami, printmaking, the making of Russian eggs, chainsaw woodcarving, bookbinding, drawing — natural science, color pencil, design, calligraphy, watercolor, scratch board, charcoal still drawing, and mixed media art.

Workshops were followed by an assembly featuring Boone and celebration of both artists and students.

Kathy Karbo, who has been working and teaching artists for 40 years, led a class in Luminaria — a form of paper lantern —and use of sculpting wire. Karbo encouraged students to experience her love of light and shadow, texture, shape, color, and movement creating mobile installations.

Acrylic painting was demonstrated by Darren Orange as he addressed the issue of natural beauty in the wake of human influence.

Orange said he was most inspired by the surroundings of where he has lived: the farm and timber homesteads of central Washington and fishing villages on the lower Columbia River.

Students worked in his class with acrylic paint using stencils, paper, and their fingers to complete the work.

Joanne Hill demonstrated the art of Russian egg painting. Hill has been pursuing the art of pysanky — coloring eggs — since 1972. She demonstrated how to duplicate this ancient art form.

Cartoon portrait sketching was taught by David Poole. A Seaside resident, Poole works in colored pencil and chalk pastel.

Students also enjoyed charcoal drawing as taught by Lauren Davis, an active member of PTO in Gearhart, where her children attend school.

“All that time and effort put into the art day was really worth it,” Hayley said. “The artists that came had a lot of fun and felt very honored. It was a great day, I got to paint, I got to show the high school that art is not just for kindergartners by giving them the opportunity to experience art at their level. I could not have asked for more.”