Jessica Bai ’16, Sarah Barr ’16: This month, Episcopal’s resident artists, musicians, and dancers will be celebrated in the Crawford Campus Center at the annual “Arts on the Move” program. The event will begin with the opening reception of the winter student art show, followed by performances from the Dora Khayatt Music Competition winners, and concluding with a dance program by Episcopal’s Varsity and Junior Varsity dance teams.
The Crawford Campus Center Gallery will feature the artwork made this year by students in Upper School art classes, providing an opportunity for Episcopal’s artists to show their peers and teachers the final products of their tireless efforts in the studio.
“This is always an exciting time for all the teachers in the Visual Arts Department because it is a chance to reflect on what we have done the whole semester,” commented David Sigel, Chair of Visual Arts and Upper School art teacher. “We’re opening up the drawers and mounting up works [on the walls] and it is very exciting to see the art fresh and new and matted in a display setting instead of as a work in progress on the table. It is a great time for us to reflect and celebrate the efforts of the kids in the class.”
Included among the pieces on display will be “identity boxes” created by the students in the Foundations of Art course. These boxes, which serve as mediums for self reflection and expression, compile all of the skills learned in the 2-D design, 3-D design, photography, and woodworking disciplines of the course. Students first built their boxes in their woodworking classes, then decorated them using techniques learned from their 2-D design , 3-D design, and photography classes to express their individuality and unique personalities. Each box is accompanied by an artistic statement that explains the meaning behind the various elements of the box.
“[The ‘identity boxes’] are very exciting projects because it reflects how we think about education, how we get students centered, and how we can be more than just instructors, but also rocks of knowledge. We are trying to empower students to own and apply their knowledge,” stated Sigel.
“Arts on the Move” will also feature performances from the winners of the Dora Khayatt Music Competition, which will take place on Monday, February 11th. This competition, which has been an integral part of the arts at Episcopal since 1992, is named after the wife of John Plant, who was the Head of the Classics Department at Episcopal in the 1980s. A panel of professional musicians from the Philadelphia area judges contestants and the winning acts will receive an award for excellence in the arts as well as a monetary prize.
To wrap up the evening, Episcopal’s Varsity and Junior Varsity Dance Teams, led by Mandie Banks and Gina Tomkowich respectively, will perform a dance program entitled “Things Aren’t Always What They Seem to Be.” The choreography of this performance expresses the relationship between dance and different genres of music and illustrates how dance can tell a story. “Our dances are polar opposites, which is really cool. However, they both relate to the same theme,” stated Megan Kilcullen ’13, a member of the dance team.
“I really like our dances because one is fun and has high energy and is different from what a lot of us have done before. Our second song is unique and allows you to express yourself…the songs are emotional pieces too,” added Emma Smith ’15.
Support your peers and come to the Crawford Campus Center on February 13th.