TOWAMENCIN- North Penn family, friends, and community members were welcomed to view artwork created by NPHS AP Studio Art students during the annual AP art show held on Thursday. On display were the quality pieces, a student’s best pieces that showcase technique, skill, and concept development, that students will mail to college board to be scored for AP credit.

“We wanted to give the public a chance to see them before they went,” said Mrs. Kolleen Keefer, an art teacher, explained.

Students who chose to take AP Studio Art picked any topic that interested them and created twelve concentration pieces that focused on the exploration of their chosen idea or concept. The course is rigorous, and students were expected to create a piece every two weeks starting from their summer break to April 18th. In addition, students also created 12 breath pieces (six of which come from the portfolio prep class), which focused on developing technique and exploring media and subject.

“It’s so much work to do within the year,” Keefer said. “A lot of their early works have been tucked away, and we haven’t seen them for quite a while. To pull everything out and to take a look at everything they have done for the entire year is just mindblowing and exciting. You can not help put be impressed.”

Abbie Garland, a senior who used intricate detail, mandalas, and design to enhance the beauty of the female figure for her concentration, felt that her hard work payed off.

“I’ve worked very hard to improve,” Garland said. “Over this year there has been crazy amounts of work, but I think that my skills have gotten a lot better and it’s really exciting to see it happen”

Garland felt that, although time management was essential, the most difficult aspect of producing a new piece of art every two weeks was feeling constantly creative and inspired.

“It’s not even so much about time management as much as it is about how much creative energy you have and how much you can continuously make art. It is all about having your creative juices. Your tank is always full. You have to be able to continuously create,” Garland said.

The driving force in a student’s’ ability to be constantly inspired to create has to do with the fact that he or she was able to choose whatever topic or idea that excites him or her. Keefer noted how each student, despite their differences, developed their own voice throughout the year.

“They are all different but they started with and interest and an idea that they liked art, and then they literally developed their own means of expression. Each one is unique and they did it themselves,” Keefer said.

Atika Haque, a senior who did her concentration on light and shadow in nature and surroundings, enjoyed watching her classmates develop their own style and voice throughout the year.

“Even if your name isn’t on the artwork a lot of times people will know it’s your piece just because of the way you have been drawing the whole year,” Haque said. “Putting your own creativity onto paper and showing a thousand words is a way of communicating with people without even actually talking.”

“We all worked very hard to get to this point,” Garland said. “It takes a lot of heart and soul to create the artwork that we do.. we put alot into it”

Keefer expressed her gratitude for being able to work with her students during the process.

“It makes it easy to come to work every day when I am working with these kind of students and this kind of commitment,” Keefer said. “To walk in the room every morning and unlock the door and walk in and smell the oil paint and look at all these beautiful paintings is a great way to start the day.”

Garland recommended the course to any student who is interested in art.

“For anyone who wants to take it, it’s a great opportunity and it really helps you grow. There’s a lot of free reign to do whatever you want to do and Mrs.Keefer will hold your hand throughout it and make sure that you’re improving,” Garland said.