For the past few years, CMU’s Art and Design Department has held Artober, an immersive event celebrating different mediums of art for high school and university students, passionate or interested in the arts. On October 17th, Palisade High School’s IB art students attended Artober to expand their knowledge about craftsmanship, skills, and the possibilities of pursuing a future education or career focused in the arts.
Just east of the Fine Arts building, five major stations were set up on the Delta Field, eager to interact with attendees. The structure was flexible, allowing students to visit any station in any order, depending on their interests or preference of medium. The AMP Club offered live caricatures, singles or doubles with a friend.
The Mesa Emerging Designers encouraged experimentation with spray paint. A huge temporary graffiti wall was hung up, ready to be splashed and adorned with neons and original designs.
The Clay Club, composed of CMU’s ceramics faculty and students set up four wheels, available for anyone to throw, regardless of previous ceramics knowledge. They had demonstrations of throwing and taught anyone interested in trying. There were also ‘Blind Wheel Throwing’ and ‘One Hand Wheel Throwing’ contests, amusingly testing ceramists skills. Junior Annika Fitzgerald participated in the blind folded challenge. “I felt confident, which is an accomplishment I think. Working with clay is such a tactile art, and the fact that I knew I could do it just by touch is something I’m proud of,” reflected Fitzgerald.
Print it up! The Printmaking Guild demonstrated live printing of woodcuts onto t-shirts and other apparel. An array of designs were hung up with pride, showcasing the brilliant talent of CMU printmakers.
The Sculpture Guild casted pieces in molten iron during an Iron Pour. Underground holes were dug to contain molds for artwork and scalding hot liquid iron. “The sculpture guild did an awesome job engaging the audience because they were more prepared. They had a good system where you could see several pours consistently,” said Palisade art teacher Mr. Moore. Oddly, the pours acted as a visual speech, part of a foreign language. Iron pouring is unfamiliar for the IB artists, making this experience special.
An interactive aspect particular to Artober is the Sidewalk Chalk Contest. Teams are allotted with a huge square on the sidewalk to depict anything they want, only using chalk. Junior Hailey Shackelford expressed, “Listening to others brought a wide spectrum of ideas. There were ideas that I would have never thought of.” Being limited to one medium can provoke creativity and unique methods such as “experimenting with blending”, according to Shackelford.
The IB juniors worked together to create a scene of neon fish, bubbles, and lily pads. Everyone, on hands and knees, showcased their artistic and collaborative abilities. Constant adaptations were made, further characterizing the square as unique and an equal depiction of everyone’s contributions. Pants were stained with blues and pinks, hands were raw and red, and everyone’s smiling faces reflected the collective sense of pride and excitement.
The Grand Junction High School students took first, another school was awarded second and the Palisade IB Seniors, with an autumn movie theme, came in third. The defeated juniors were disappointed, but knew their chalk art was indeed fantastic. Juniors Claire Powell, Ian Shiao, and Hank DeFord even started scheming about next year’s competition, proposing they practice their chalk skills every weekend.
Students were able to tour the art department, peeking into classrooms equipped with students working on impressive projects and seemingly endless materials. It provided a glimpse into the future of these young artists. Mr. Moore concluded, “It’s really cool to see art at the next level of education, all the potential for skills and how art can flourish.”
Art attracts a certain community and spans widely across a spectrum of expertise. Events like Artober allow young artists to expand their skill set and learn about new things they can incorporate. Organizers were eager to participate and engage with attendees and like minded individuals. Bright energy was bouncing from each booth, making Artober a positive space for expression and experimentation.
