Thursday, May 05, 2011

Art Show

This year has been an artful adventure for our family as Artist Son has worked his way through the Advanced Placement (AP) Studio Art-Drawing course. I say it has been an adventure for our family (the four of us at home) because although it was Artist Son who spent up to 15 hours a week thinking, composing, sketching and drawing, we the played the role of supportive patrons who had a lot to learn about what it takes to make art.

As the end of the course approached and we realized that Artist Son had produced 24 final drawings, we decided he should put on an art show--with his agreement, of course. Dear Husband rose to the challenge of turning our adjoining sun porch, living room, and family room into an art gallery: furniture was moved, drawings were hung, easels were improvised. Tayta made cakes--four of them, and it was a good thing as many friends showed up to see Artist's Son's work and to encourage and support him.

Artist Son provided helpful Gallery Notes with an brief explanation of each drawing.


We weren't able to hang all the pieces at eye-level, but that didn't stop some of the serious art aficionados from getting close enough to appreciate the detail Artist Son accomplished in his stippled drawing.

I was impressed to see and hear some of the particulars that Artist Son's friends noticed and appreciated in his drawings.

Yesterday Artist Son hit the button and submitted his online digital portfolio and today DHL picked up his five piece quality portfolio which will be delivered to the AP readers in the US. He hopes (okay, okay, mom is hoping more than he is, but...) to post his entire portfolio online in the near future, but short of that I will post my very favorite piece from his portfolio.

I get a little teary when I look at it for any length of time. The piece is titled, "Boredom" and it is one of the pieces that was sent off today in the quality portfolio. It is a self-portrait and the setting is the side yard of our house. The bar he is hanging from used to bear a grape-vine and the trees in the distance are olive trees. A dear friend who has had three teen-age boys also picked this one as her favorite. We should receive this drawing back sometime this summer and Artist Son says I may have it. It will be one of my treasures.

4 comments:

MagistraCarminum said...

He really is an amazing talent, M! How did all your kids turn out to be such gifted artist types? (first music, now art!) The only problem with keeping this beautiful drawing is that you will never be able to look at it without going back to that time and place, and when he's off to college and beyond, that might be difficult! ;-) Thanks for sharing!

Quotidian Life said...

I did think of that but am hoping that I'll get past the teary stage at some point. I might have to put it away for his first year of college, though. As for the gifted artist types, I'm not sure. There is some artistic flair on my side of the family, and a little musical ability on both sides, but nothing fancy. I love having artists in the family but it is sort of our family joke that they are high-maintenance and/or expensive. :)

ElderClan said...

Very Impressive!!

Woman of the House said...

Oh, my goodness, these are fabulous! Your son is a very skilled and talented artist. I'm much impressed!