Students in the Fine Arts Department at Aptos High School are participating in Mi Cas Su Casa, the exhibition at Pajaro Valley Arts to honor ancestors.
These students are taking Art 1 Ethnic Studies, Art 2, Visual Commercial Art 2: Photography Honors, and Advanced Placement: Drawing /Art and Design, and Ceramics with teachers Veronique Marks, Melissa Offutt and Joel Smith.
Beginning Art students explored sugar skull decorative techniques, shading and form, color theory, painting techniques with sponge, stippling, stencils and ink drawing.
Ceramic students explored form and tromp l’oeil foods.
Photography students explored alternative photography process cyanotypes, focusing on exposure and light.
Advanced Art students explored gelli prints using alternative photo transfers.
The description reads: “Our artwork is inspired by concepts of home, family, relationships, traditions. We hope that our installation represents our acknowledgement, commemoration and appreciation of the sacrifices and inspiration of our honored ancestors.”
Here is work by six students in honors photography:
Xena Sterner
I chose my great grandmother, June. She passed at the end of the last school year. She lived to 93, and was a strong woman throughout my life. The last time I saw her even at 93 years old she beat my whole family at dominos. She is the first person I have lost since I was little, and I do miss her. She was the rodeo queen of Paisley, Oregon, and overall loved horses, so I found a photo from the memorial of her in her youth on the family ranch.
The side of my family that she is on, my mother’s side, is Native American. Our beliefs are tied to the soul of the person, a more spiritual approach of them becoming one with the earth again. We might not be able to see them anymore, but they are still here, forever. There are differences to Dia De Los Muertos, but also similarities. Our passed family walk among us always, not just one day. There are days we honor them in a celebration, not in sorrow.
Adelaide Friedley
I chose my grandma. I chose her because I love her very much and wanted to honor her after she passed away a few years ago.
She grew up in Peru because her parents, my great grandparents, were missionaries there.
They also helped to start a school. She had so many interesting stories about her childhood.
I really admire her kindness and how caring she was. I also miss her very much.
The image I used is a professional photograph after she traveled back to live in the states.
Malia Nacht
The picture I chose is of my uncle Michael, my mom’s younger brother who I am named after. He passed away 3 years before I was born.
My parents chose to name me after him using the first letter of his name since that is what you do in the Jewish culture, and my mom is Jewish. This picture was taken at my mom’s bat mitzvah.
Ryan Murphy
I chose my mom’s grandparents. I chose them because I never met them but they’re the only people I have pictures of that have passed away. I never talked to them.
I got the picture from my mom and it was taken in San Francisco.
Julia Silveira
I did this project on my great-grandparents. I got to meet my great-grandma. She passed about a little over a year ago. My great-grandpa, though I never met.
He passed a year before I was born. They were both really amazing people that loved to travel.
Sophie Jacobo
I chose to use a photo of my great grandmother because I didn’t get to spend time with her very often and the times that I did spend with her were when I was young so I can’t recall the memories I have from her clearly. I did get to meet her along with hearing stories shared after she passed.
The image was captured in her room. I am glad that I was able to honor my great-grandmother in a new way, I was able to turn her photo into a real physical one I can hold through a cyanotype.
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Mi Casa es Tu Casa — Exhibit Dates and Opening Reception
Pajaro Valley Arts, 37 Sudden St., Watsonville
Opening Reception: Sunday, Nov. 3, 1-3 p.m.
Performances by White Hawk Aztec Dancers, Grupo, and Estrella de Esperanza.
Exhibit on display through Dec. 1