Students discuss how taking art classes at school positively impacts them
Black River Falls High School provides many different art classes at the school ranging from drawing and painting to computer graphics. One of the most popular classes is the ceramics class.
“I started getting involved in ceramics through my art classes in school,” art teacher Rebecca Handy said.
Handy has been teaching at the high school for the past year and a half. She started teaching at the school at the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year and has been here ever since. She is currently working on her own art projects while teaching students what there is to know about ceramics.
“I am personally working on ceramic chimes right now. My students are learning the basic steps to throwing on the wheel and slab building,” Handy said.
She hopes to inspire students through the way she presents herself in class and the love she has for art.
“I think my love for ceramics generally makes me more energetic for that class and I have a lot of my own personal examples I can inspire students with,” Handy said.
While teaching the different skills and subjects of art she is also introducing important qualities students may need in the future.
“Ms. Handy taught me that art is an act of feeling and thought. Having it be seen in different perspectives.”
— Joan Strelow
For many students, they began to view things, both in the art world and real world, differently.
“I think that for me it broadened my horizons and made me more interested in things, like artistic things,” freshman Asuka Cusick.
The skills learned in the classroom are generally used for art, but, interpreted a different way, they can also be used outside of art.
“I learned from Ms. Handy that art can be taught in many different ways, while teaching us about our surroundings,” Strelow said.
Art classes have helped students to see more meaning and details in their everyday lives.
“With her, I’ve learned more techniques and how to use more mediums,” Cusick said.
Many students found that art helps them relieve stress and that they feel more relaxed in an art class compared to going to any other class.
“Taking art classes helped overall by being a relaxing class, it’s not stressful compared to an English class,” Strelow said.
Art is a good outlet for children and teenagers to relieve stress and anxiety. For many people, it plays a part in helping them stay mentally healthy.
“I would say it does impact me personally and I think I just really enjoy art. It’s really fun,” Cusick said.
