“In my ceramics class, we are making luminary houses using slab construction,” art teacher Amanda Harter said. “We will be cutting out windows and putting them together.When they’re done, we will put candles underneath to make them light up.”

    Art 2 students are also on the topic of birds, but they are painting them.

    “I love drawing and painting the birds; it was fun,” sophomore Hayley Gilstrap said.“I love the painting and having the freedom to express my art.”

    The students are finding their own ways to show their personalities through their projects, Harter said. Many of the “birdhouses” don’t resemble birdhouses at all, but she is pleased the students are learning to express themselves. The Art 2 students do the same with their paintings.

    “I like everything about this project, but I mostly like the painting,” sophomore Jaylee Hullum said.“I can use different colors when I paint, and every color means something different.”

    In ceramics class, especially, there is always a learning curve for how the material itself will work, but students did not let that discourage them.

    “My favorite part about the building the houses was the challenge,” sophomore Brooke Barron said.“It was hard because the walls could break if they were too thin, but it was worth it in the end.”