Impactful Pioneer Art Showcased
Two students will have their pieces on display at the Los Gatos NUMU Art Now exhibition.
By Abigail Shlimenzon
Two students will have their pieces on display at the Los Gatos NUMU Art Now exhibition.
By Abigail Shlimenzon
espite all the hardships Pioneer students have faced this year, many have still been able to prosper and grow through the use of creative outlets.
This year two students from Pioneer were admitted into the competitive Los Gatos NUMU Art Now Santa Clara County High School Exhibition showcasing 78 accepted entries. Representing Pioneer are artists Haily Phan, 11, and Junna Itasaka, 12. The theme of this competition was “Good Trouble,” and art teacher Laurie Kirk could see the influence of the museum’s choice on her students’ artwork from the past summer movements and protests. “The theme absolutely was influenced by current events,” Kirk said, “The racial justice protests that took place after the death of George Floyd, as well as the passing of civil rights legend John Lewis played a role, I am sure, in the museum's choice of this year's theme.” Itasaka’s painting, “Breaking the Wall,” is centered around the racial issues that have plagued America since its conception and inspired by Little Rock Nine that she has researched from racial issues in society for her artwork. |
“Through significant movements including Black Lives Matter, I was able to learn things in American history that I did not know before and one of these was the Little Rock Nine which became the very subject of my submission,” Itasaka said. “I wanted to point out a moment in history where young people accomplished groundbreaking progress into a better society and connect it to the young generation of today who are also capable of doing that. I wanted this piece to not only bring light to incredible accomplishments in Black history but to hopefully inspire young individuals like us to be the change and progress for our future.”
While Itasaka’s piece was influenced by the fight for racial and social justice, Phan’s piece was more focused on environmental issues. The inspiration behind her painting, “A Cultivated Society,” came from the Greenpeace Movement and what she has learned from community service.
“I remembered reading about Greenpeace's movement while researching for last year's sophomore project, so I wanted to illustrate something to contribute to the fight for an improvement to the nature of our world,” Phan said. “The reason I painted a tree-planting scene was because I recalled the times when I was volunteering for Our City Forest, and it was really inspiring watching and getting to work with everyone there-- hence why I tried to capture a similar theme from memory.”
Kirk encourages her students to enter art contests for their final semester project to get them explore their creativity outside of their comfort zone.
“You never know until you try. Every year a few Pioneer art students are accepted to this prestigious show and each time they are surprised and delighted,” Kirk said, “Often, we have had students take top honors, including 1st place in painting, Judge’s Honorable Mention, and Best in Show. If you don't enter a show, you can't get in, and you can't win awards and be recognized for your talent and ideas.”
While some aspiring artists aren’t sure if they should take the risk to submit their own art pieces to competitions, Itasaka feels that she has learned a lot from challenging herself.
“One thing I really want to say is that as long as you're proud of your own work, no one else can tell you otherwise. It's so easy to tear yourself down, especially if you compare yourself to others, but there is nothing more important than the desire to be a better artist,” Itasaka said. “That desire will lead you to gain confidence in yourself which will allow you to be more comfortable with failure and grow as an artist. Don't be afraid of trying new things, you never know if you might grow to love it. I can't speak from experience because I'm still in the middle of trying to gain this mindset myself, but I'm sure I'll get there someday and you will, too.”
While Itasaka’s piece was influenced by the fight for racial and social justice, Phan’s piece was more focused on environmental issues. The inspiration behind her painting, “A Cultivated Society,” came from the Greenpeace Movement and what she has learned from community service.
“I remembered reading about Greenpeace's movement while researching for last year's sophomore project, so I wanted to illustrate something to contribute to the fight for an improvement to the nature of our world,” Phan said. “The reason I painted a tree-planting scene was because I recalled the times when I was volunteering for Our City Forest, and it was really inspiring watching and getting to work with everyone there-- hence why I tried to capture a similar theme from memory.”
Kirk encourages her students to enter art contests for their final semester project to get them explore their creativity outside of their comfort zone.
“You never know until you try. Every year a few Pioneer art students are accepted to this prestigious show and each time they are surprised and delighted,” Kirk said, “Often, we have had students take top honors, including 1st place in painting, Judge’s Honorable Mention, and Best in Show. If you don't enter a show, you can't get in, and you can't win awards and be recognized for your talent and ideas.”
While some aspiring artists aren’t sure if they should take the risk to submit their own art pieces to competitions, Itasaka feels that she has learned a lot from challenging herself.
“One thing I really want to say is that as long as you're proud of your own work, no one else can tell you otherwise. It's so easy to tear yourself down, especially if you compare yourself to others, but there is nothing more important than the desire to be a better artist,” Itasaka said. “That desire will lead you to gain confidence in yourself which will allow you to be more comfortable with failure and grow as an artist. Don't be afraid of trying new things, you never know if you might grow to love it. I can't speak from experience because I'm still in the middle of trying to gain this mindset myself, but I'm sure I'll get there someday and you will, too.”