The third annual Cape Walk Art Show, which was open to the public for the first time this year on Wednesday, attracted numerous students and parents who strolled through rows of more than 400 pieces of artwork that mostly junior and senior International Baccalaureate Diploma program art students created.
The IB arts program was first introduced to Cape Coral High School junior students during the 2007-2008 school year.
Joy Rider, art and photography teacher at Cape High, said her IB students had exams on Monday and Tuesday, which includes an examiner from Atlanta who views the students workbook that contains two years of their work, along with a half hour interview to discuss their artwork.
“It’s about them making art and researching other artists and art movements,” she said about the students’ workbook that includes 192 pages.
Rider said in the past, after the students finished their exams, they invited teachers to bring their students to the media center, so they could view the students artwork that was showcased for the examiner.
Art teacher Marguerite Husebye said since the first IB graduation took place during the 2008-2009 school year, they decided to get in a “few runs” of the Cape Walk Art Show before they opened it up to the public this year.
Wednesday night 480 works of photography, sculptures, mixed-media, drawings and paintings were on display from 48 students during the art show.
Husebye said the show typically has artwork showcased from 25 IB students, but since they decided to include advanced placement art students this year, the number of students increased.
The show was introduced to the public because they like to keep close contact with the community to show what their students are doing, she added.
“It’s great for the kids to get that exposure … you can’t beat that,” Husebye said. “It’s pretty successful. I am more than happy.”
Nick Conde had many of his two-dimensional pieces and sculptures displayed during the art show that he has created in the past two years.
“I enjoy the opportunity,” he said about showcasing his pieces during the first public show. “It’s about time we unveil ourselves to the public.”
The senior student recently sat down with the outside examiner to discuss the 20 pieces of artwork he created, along with the book he put together regarding the research he completed about various artists.
“It was a casual conversation,” he said about the short interview.
In addition, Conde’s art pieces were set up on a table for the examiner to view.
He shared he enjoyed the IB program because his knowledge of artists grew over the past two years, and he learned new artistic techniques.
Conde plans on studying political science and international relations in college. He said he will continue to create art sometime in the future when the mood arises.
Photographer Angela Battig also attended the show Wednesday night to view what her fellow classmates were creating.
The IB junior explained that she has always had a passion for photography because she loves taking pictures of nature, plants and animals in particular. The various bright colors attracts her to snap away and capture a memory in time with her camera.
Battig has begun to put together her workbook for her examination next year. She said so far she has provided documentation of the photographs she has taken, along with the growth she has experienced as a photographer.
The IB program attracted Battig’s attention because “you have to work for things” and “think about what you are producing.” She said the program makes photography more than just a hobby.
Michelle Leonard stood in the media center Wednesday night with a huge smile on her face while she snapped pictures on her cell phone of her daughter’s work.
She said she was excited that the show was open to the public this year because she was able to view some of her daughter, Erika Karkosza’s pieces that she has never seen before.
“I am so amazed,” Leonard said about her daughter’s artwork. “None of my family has any artistic capabilities.”
She said she was extremely proud of her daughter, who is a senior this year, because it is an intense program that requires a lot of hard work.
Leonard said the IB program is an excellent program, that requires a lot of “blood, sweat and tears” to excel.
Husebye said she enjoys the program because it really challenges her students.
“The amount of research that is done really makes them dive into the subject matter,” she said.
Rider said it is nice to be able to teach IB students because it gives her the opportunity to teach students who enjoy creating. She explained that IB students want “to do something above and beyond.”
Husebye said the students also designed a 9×18 foot chalk mural of a seahawk in front of the school for Wednesday’s art show.
She said she hopes the show will start to branch out a little more, especially as the program grows.