Seniors Lan Nguyen and Taemin Kim admire their mural in the Olney girls dorm kitchen.
Wednesday afternoons at Olney Friends School are all about art!
For a three hour block after lunch, students have the opportunity to explore several different forms of artistic medium. During the first Endeavor session of the year, which runs from August 31st to September 25th, Olney is offering coursework in digital videography, woodworking, murals and an independent study in music. The response thus far has been quite positive.
Joe Velick, a sophomore from Ann Arbor, Michigan, was excited about making a set of chopsticks from walnut and cherry wood. When asked about the woodworking Endeavor, Velick said “it’s very informative, and now I know how to use a saw and measure things correctly.” Phineas Gosselink, who is facilitating the course, emphasizes the importance of safety and encourages a structured progression for his students. The Endeavor begins with an introduction to hand tools, followed by a policy that expects participants to provide detailed sketches of projects they wish to complete. Finally, students who are able to demonstrate proper technique and precautionary measures will be able to use the school’s power tool on future projects.
Julian Sun, Olney’s resident violinist, uses the art block to log playing time and sharpen his technique. Last year, Sun took part in the Wheeling Youth Symphony Orchestra as a member of the philharmonic section. He has also performed on campus numerous times, including Homecoming 2014 and occasionally during All-School Sing. “I enjoy playing violin becomes it gives me an opportunity to express myself,” said Sun. While he often plays classical music, Sun, who is also an admissions ambassador for the school and serving a second term as boys dorm governor, entertained his peers this afternoon by spontaneously jamming the popular techno song “Sandstorm” by Darude.
Roger Reynolds facilitates the popular digital videography Endeavor and has offered similar coursework at Olney for several years. Also the senior humanities instructor, Reynolds asked his students to produce a one-minute video about a particular emotion chosen at random. The creative direction was entirely their own, with the only stylistic restrictions being the 60 second run time and the use of three distinct camera angles: long shot, point of view shot and cutting shot. After filming, the student groups uploaded their content to the editing computer and began piecing their shots together into a short film.
Olney’s game room is nearly complete!
Among the many recent changes occurring on campus is the renovation of the former student lounge and the art room, both located on the second floor of the Main. The old student lounge is in the process of being converted to the campus’ game room, complete with a refurbished pool table, Foosball table and ping pong table while the art room has become home to the new student lounge. The close proximity of the spaces will allow for a more open, inclusive social environment that is intended to accommodate a wide variety of interests.
The student lounge hasn’t just moved locations, though. It is getting a makeover, with students in the murals Endeavor adorning the formerly bare walls with vibrant color. “Students are using art to help improve the look and feel of campus, especially the student lounge,” said Jill Hunkler. “They’re very excited to get some color in there.” Hunkler praised the research undertaken and ambition shown by the students in researching the works they wanted to paint in the student lounge and the kitchen of the girls dorm. She also appreciated the diversity of the projects. “We’ve got a hawk, a moon scene, a city street, an impressionistic painting in the lounge and even a Picasso replica in the works.”
To see more photos of creative expression, view our September 2015 Art Endeavor gallery.
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