Triston Anders wants to share his love of spray paint art with the rest of the community.
He and other high school artists will have the opportunity to share their works during the annual art show April 17 at the Life Ready Center, 702 NW Homestead. Painting is just one of the mediums the students have worked with — others include paper mache, drawing and ceramics.
Anders said he likes the freedom art class gives him to create his own images while using a variety of mediums. While his favorite artwork is using spray paint to create abstract pieces, he also likes to draw realism, particularly portraits.
“You get to move freely with spray paint,” he said. “Pretty much all my art is horror and creepy-type structure. Ceramic is more grotesque.”
Anders plans to attend art school and obtain a degree in animation and eventually work for Nickelodeon or Pixar.
“I want to do character buildup and how they move and all that. If that plan sinks and goes under, be an art teacher,” Anders said of his career plans.
Other students spent several weeks working on ceramic bowls and mugs.
Breanah Vandiver said this was her second time working with clay, a medium she enjoys. The first time she worked with clay was last year when she made a cup.
“It didn’t turn out well,” she said. “It broke. I think I made it too thin.”
Vandiver was still deciding on her design early in the process.
“I was going to make a heart bowl, but I think I will toss that idea,” she said. “I want to make something silly.”
Vandiver said her favorite part of art class is having the opportunity to draw her own creations.
Aran Kelley said he has been working with clay on his own as a hobby for about two years and has made tanks, miniatures, birds and buildings.
“I can shape it,” Kelley said as to why he likes working with clay. “When I mess something up, I can reshape it.”
Art teacher Scott Smith said he has two goals for his art students: do something altruistic by getting art out into the community, and enter their work in shows and competitions. He said students in his Art Exploration and Discovery class have the freedom to explore different art forms as long as they can do so safely.
“There is no best. No one has the best or worst,” Smith said of a philosophy where students’ works aren’t compared to each other. When students have the freedom to explore art on their own, “it creates freedom and less stress,” he said.
He said the open structure of the class lends itself to students helping each other. For example, he said Anders is good at working with resin, so he helps other students with that technique.
Also at the art show, students who placed in the Keep Our Land Grand art contest will be recognized, along with Vinnie Alvarez, who has been offered a $100,000 scholarship to Kansas City Art Institute to study animation. Special guests will be student artists who entered the Optimist Visual Arts Contest.
All of the artwork will be for sale, with proceeds going to the individual student artists.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Lawton Public Schools Art Show, open to the public
THEME: Growing Pains
WHEN: 5:30-7 p.m. April 17
WHERE: LPS Legacy Gallery at Life Ready Center, 702 NW Homestead
WHO: High school artists in Lawton