The art of cultural insight

Studying an artist's life and style is part of the Liberty High School program.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
LIBERTY -- A Liberty High School class is learning to broaden its knowledge of culture and history through art.
"You can hear a pin drop. You don't hear a thing," Lori Sayavich, a student art teacher, said in describing the concentration of 24 students.
"We're trying to get them to reach out to different cultures. It's not just coming here and drawing," said Sayavich, who has her bachelor's degree in fine arts from Youngstown State University and is working toward a bachelor's degree in education.
As part of her 16-week internship in the classroom of art teacher Janie Morris, Sayavich came up with the concept of studying the background of artist Louise Nevelson.
Nevelson, a Russian-born abstract expressionist sculptor, was born in 1899 and moved to Maine at age 5 with her Jewish family. She didn't become known for her works until in her 50s; she died in 1988.
"It's typical of a woman artist who blossoms late in life," Morris said.
The students in grades nine through 12 studied Nevelson's life, her life struggles and how she used recyclables to create her work. The background became the subject of the students' class papers.
Morris and Sayavich said that after sketching photographs of the sculptures, the students moved to three-dimensional work, using Nevelson's style but their own ideas.
They used packaging material, wood, cardboard, cans and paint.
Challenging subject
Morris explained that at first, students had difficulty understanding working in three dimensions.
"We knew it was going to click, and that's exactly what happened," Morris said, noting that they began to learn the basics of repetition, harmony, movement and color.
Senior Megan Mohler said she finds the project fun because she's able to use her own ideas and see her sculpture take shape.
Greg Ezzo, another senior, said he felt a lot of students didn't catch on at first, but he tried to keep his sculpture "simple and neat."
Sayavich said art provides technical skills that can be used in other classes and after graduation. She pointed out that students learn how take measurements or use illustration and graphics when doing computerized PowerPoint presentations.
Of 30 students, she explained, nine will eventually go into an art-related profession.
"You broaden your knowledge through art," Sayavich asserted.
Next week, the students will begin making three-dimensional masks related to five cultures -- East Indian, American Indian, African American, Japanese and Mexican.
Using a cooperative learning technique, students will work in small groups, present a research paper of their designated cultures and construct masks to reflect those cultures.
yovich@vindy.com