Art is a journey in special Flathead class

Even without a face, the figure is forlorn, with his detached arm next to him.

The picture, one of many art projects Ashley Judd has produced over the last two years, is the fruit of an in-depth study on stress and how it affects the body. As a high school student, she’s no stranger to stress.

After learning what the worry was doing to her body, Judd, a senior in Flathead High School’s International Baccalaureate art program, decided to portray stress’s destruction in a humorous way.

Her picture was one of several pieces showcased in the International Baccalaureate Art Exhibition on Thursday evening. Judd and 14 other students displayed their best pieces from their Art IB class.

The class lasts one or two years, depending on whether students are pursuing a full International Baccalaureate diploma. Those who want the diploma are in the class for two years and are presenting their pieces and accompanying research this weekend to an external assessor from Washington.

Their work has already been evaluated by Susan Guthrie, the class’s teacher. Once the Washington assessor has completed her examination, information about the artwork, including photos of the pieces, will be sent to another part of the world for final mediation.

That international aspect is an important part of the program, Guthrie said. The International Baccalaureate Programme offers students a chance to think deeply about global issues.

In Guthrie’s class, students explore history through artists’ eyes. Students conduct extensive research before beginning projects and ask tough questions about the information they uncover. Only then do they settle on a statement they want to make about the topic, Guthrie said.

The class covers ancient art through the Renaissance during the first year and moves from the Renaissance onward in year two. Students who take the class for only one year won’t get the same breadth as two-year students, Guthrie said.

Throughout the class, students create art related to the units they’re studying. They create pieces that mimic or call to mind famous artwork, usually with a twist.

While studying famous classical art, Judd created a miniature version of Venus de Milo and gave her long, flowing hair. Another miniature Venus gave the sensual sculpture a slightly more modest look with a pink bra.

In addition to creating pieces that relate to the units they’re studying, students work on projects related to themes they chose in their first year.

Judd’s theme was emotion and “how it physically works on the body,” she said. As an orchestra member — she plays the cello — she also used the class to explore music therapy.

Senior Karli Kusler started with emotion as her theme as well. But by her second year in the class, she had narrowed her focus somewhat to the human condition.

“It was really, really, really broad,” she said of her original theme. Besides, she added, she enjoys drawing people.

Gaby Stow, also a senior, began the class with the theme royal families. She was fascinated by royalty and was interested in the chance to learn more about famous monarchs and their relatives through research.

But gradually her scope narrowed to royal women, as her pieces portraying Marie Antoinette demonstrate. Eventually, Stow focused on women in general.

The themes are important because they give students who don’t consider themselves artists a chance to explore topics that interest them, Guthrie said. Many such students find themselves in Art IB.

“A lot of people take IB art to fill the IB diploma requirement. They’re not all artistic,” Kusler said.

But they can still do well in Guthrie’s class. The chance to develop projects related to a theme and defend those pieces in front of a crowd at Thursday’s exhibit and one on one with the external assessor helps them grow crucial character traits, Guthrie said.

“It shows effort, follow-through, maturity and fortitude,” she said.

The journey through the class is one of Art IB’s most important aspects, Judd said.

“It’s about how you grow and develop as an artist, the change process you go through,” she said.

Reporter Kristi Albertson may be reached at 758-4438 or at kalbertson@dailyinterlake.com.