- November 22, 2024
-
-
Loading
Loading
Seabreeze High School students Raz De Via, Peyton Lilly, Summer Cook, Maya Gonska and Carley Haines showcase their sculptures for the annual "Tradewinds" exhibition at OMAM. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Seabreeze High School art teacher Christine Colby instructs her students on how to pack their sculptures for the show on May 9. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Students Raz De Via and Maya Gonska pack their sculptures. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Carley Haines, Maya Gonska and Raz De Via pack their sculptures for "Tradewinds." Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Over 100 students will have their works showcased at OMAM for the annual "Tradewinds" exhibition. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Juliet Greenstein and Soleil White work on their art in Kasondra Price's classroom. Courtesy photo
Kalease Heggins and Amira Ferguson work on their art in Kasondra Price's classroom. Courtesy photo
Come next week, art from over 100 Seabreeze High School students will fill the galleries at the Ormond Memorial Art Museum.
The annual "Tradewinds" student exhibition will open with a reception from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, May 9 and run through May 26. Featuring works in various mediums — from ceramics and mixed media to paintings and pencil drawings — OMAM has hosted the exhibit since 1996, both biannually in years past and in its current annual format.
"I think that having art present in our area helps showcase the variety of talents and creativity within our students and helps promote the cultural literacy of Volusia County," said Christine Colby, teacher and the art department chair at Seabreeze High School.
The uniqueness of the show, she said, stems from its origins.
"Tradewinds" was founded in 1964 by her former art teacher at Seabreeze, Nina Masters. At the time, the show was composed of senior works and was exhibited on the school's campus, according to an OMAM press release. The show was then transformed into the "Tradewinds Art Festival" in the 1970s, adding live music, festival T-shirts sporting student designs and the sale of concessions. It became a juried show for students, the first of its kind in Volusia County.
Then in 1996, Masters asked OMAM's then director, Ann Burt, whether the museum would be interested in exhibiting student work. "Tradewinds" has been held at the museum ever since.
"When I spoke with [Master's] daughter last year, she told me how proud she would be if she could see it today," Colby said.
Masters, who taught at Seabreeze from 1963 to 2010, died in 2021.
"Tradewinds is an incredible exhibition every year thanks to the hard work and dedication of the art teachers and their art students," Seabreeze art teacher Bryce Hammond said in a statement to the Observer. "Showcasing student artwork is key to inspiring students to achieve not only creative endeavors, but to inspire reaching goals in all facets of life."
For Colby, it's a joy to see her students take part in "Tradewinds," as she got to experience the sense of accomplishment that came with it when she was a student at Seabreeze. The show takes a lot of work behind-the-scenes to come together, beyond the creation of art. It's giving students an authentic, professional experience within the art field by participating in "Tradewinds," Colby said.
"Art always seems to be regarded as a non-core subject, and I think it has many benefits," Colby said. "I want to promote it in any way I can."
Fellow art teacher Kasondra Price said the "Tradewinds" show is a rewarding experience for students. It's important for students to feel showcased, something that may not happen in other subjects, she said. With art, though, students have visible proof of their labor.
"I think it's important to understand the role that the arts play in our school system still, and to see how hard the kids work and the process and the time that they take to put into their work," Price said.
Price interned under former Seabreeze art teacher Lisa Botkin while in college, and now teaches in the same classroom she said shaped her to become the educator she is today. She seeks to do the same for her students.
"Empowering my students to unlock their artistic potential and grow through their art is one of the most rewarding things as an art teacher," she said.
