The smell of clay permeated the air as junior Morgan Guffey continued cautiously placing each feather, piece by piece, on her clay sculpture as it sat in the bottom of the kiln, fears that the same thing that happened last year would happen again.
“I felt so disappointed last year,” Guffey said. “I worked on my owl sculpture for four and a half weeks, and it all just fell apart. I didn’t really have time to fix what I wanted.”
“I’ve decided to continue with my owl again, and I really like it,” Guffey said. “It looks mean, and I feel like it’s staring at me in a way that no one is used to.”
As the Feb. 16 deadline for Visual Arts Scholastic Event (VASE) competition nears, art students scramble to get projects done in time.
“I’m getting frustrated at VASE,” junior Luke Hicks said. “It’s taking forever, and I want to get everything right.”
VASE was started by the UIL in 1980 and recognizes exemplary student achievement in the visual arts by providing a standard of excellence for achievement.
“I like VASE, it’s really fun getting to see other people’s artwork,” Guffey said. “Though the hardest part is trying to get final touches on everything.”
Senior Jean Teichroeb worries about attempting a new skill as he works on his acrylic painting of marionettes.
“I’m very nervous because I’ve never painted before,” Teichroeb said. “I’m not a very talented artist, and I’m not sure how I’m going to place or how I’ll do.”
Art teacher Brice Autry said VASE improves untapped skills.
“It’s a good learning experience,” Autry said. “It gives students an opportunity to learn there’s a lot more to art than just making something look pretty or cool.”
Senior Dexter Longley enjoys showing who he is through his artwork, a painting of a bird.
“I enjoy doing VASE,” Longley said. “It gives me a chance to show who I am on the inside.”
Contestants are allowed to submit a wide range of projects which could include painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, etc. Each artist goes through an interview at competition to discuss their motivation.
“The bird is the problems of life,” Longley said. “We’re the soup, and the soup can is the protection of Jesus Christ. I use a lot of Bible verses in my artwork. I want to show what Jesus Christ has done for us.”
Hicks painted a little girl holding a doctor’s hand.
“I’m most motivated by my sister,” Hicks said. “She was diagnosed with diabetes, and I wanted to show that in time, there will be a cure.”
Guffey fired her owl in the kiln again on Feb. 4, and although it needs to be fired once more, nothing fell off this time, so it looks like the owl will make the trip to competition at Frenship High School on Feb. 16.