Art Three students are in the midst of a self-directed project in which they choose their own subject matter and mediums to create two individual pieces.

“Maybe a student really loved painting and wanted to explore that, or maybe somebody wanted to do portraits,” art teacher Gillian Bailey’s long-term substitute Helen Brainerd said. “They got to pick something that they really think they are good at and might want to pursue.”

Brainerd said that because these students are incoming Advanced Placement Art students, this project is intended to get them thinking about what their area of concentration will be next year.

“When you are in AP Art, you focus on one concentration for the entire year, with the same media,” said art three junior Amanda Ballesteros. “[The free-choice project] is preparing you for that and seeing if you actually like your choice enough to stick with it next year because you’re going to have to do 12 pieces on it.”

If a student cannot think of what they want to base their concentration on next year, Brainerd said that they should at least do pieces that add to the breadth in their portfolio. For her first piece, Ballesteros decided to do something unrelated to her concentration.

“[My piece] is a cat that is looking into a fish bowl,” Ballesteros said. “I just thought the picture was really interesting.”

Brainerd said that though the students are supposed to do two pieces, there is not much time left.

“I think Ms. Bailey gave [the students] two [assignments] because she was hoping that they could manage their time and see how long it takes them to do something,” Brainerd said. “When you get into AP, you have to do a project in two or three weeks.”

The students have had approximately two months to complete their two projects.

Ballesteros wants her second project to be based on her AP concentration.

“I want to do portraits of people and paint acrylic on canvas because that’s what I enjoy most,” Ballesteros said. “Portraits are kind of challenging for me, and I don’t want something easy.”

Art Three junior Ned Stasio said he is making a book right now.

Next year I want to put together a comic anthology,” Stasio said. “I am going to write a comic, and for every chapter I am going to have somebody in the art department draw a comic. Then, I am going to design the cover, do the page outlets, and bind the book.”

Brainerd is going to be the one grading this free choice project. “I want them to have a piece that is good, that is quality, that can go into their portfolio, that looks like it took time and was thoughtful, and shows off their best skills,” Brainerd said.