by Bea Peterson
HFCS art teacher David Hammond was pleased to take six of his students to Sage College last Thursday, November 13, to have their art work critiqued by art teachers from 30 colleges. “They learned that their art work is as good, if not better, than that of many students from bigger schools,” he said. “It was the best day of the year,” said Ethan Myers. Students from throughout the area filled the Sage gymnasium for the critique.
“They were impressed,” he said, “when Simeon Youngmann’s work was described as ‘phenomenal!’” Simeon also attended a critique at Pratt in Brooklyn. He recently designed the poster for the school production of Diary of Anne Frank. Simeon would like to attend the Rhode Island School of Design.
Corey Callahan said he liked the experience of having others review his work. Corey hopes to go to a SUNY College. His real interest is computer graphics, but Mr. Hammond is hopeful he will minor in art.
“This year we have the best quality artists as a group that we have ever had,” said a proud Mr. Hammond. “They are far superior!” He has had many talented individuals in his classes over the years but never a group like this. And he sees more talented artists coming up. He and the students have remarked that there are more quality pieces of art on the walls around the auditorium in the first ten weeks of school this year than there ever have been in past years.
All of the advanced art students will be part of a group of 51 people going to France, Monaco and Italy in April. Sam Merwin and Ethan Myers designed the T-shirts for the trip. Sam would like to attend Dartmouth College; Ethan aspires to MIT, and Mary Donohue has her eyes on Notre Dame. Alicia Randall has already been accepted at Pratt in Utica.
Mr. Hammond hopes to have some of his students participate in an art show at the Hyde Museum in Glens Falls. He is even toying with the idea of putting on an art show at the school, something he hasn’t done in fifteen years.
To see some of this great artwork go to Mr. Hammond’s website at the school. It was prepared by senior Kevin Wood.