THE AVATAR: November Edition SHAWNEE HIGH SCHOOL ART & LITERARY PUBLICATION

Van Gogh’s November Spectacular

By Alex Karapondo

Vincent van Gogh completed nearly 900 paintings and 1,100 other works of art during his lifetime. Van Gogh had a very special connection to his artworks. Often, he would obsess over a painting, returning to it multiple times. Making duplicates and obsessing with his paintings. He considered himself a failure as an artist due to his inability to sell any of his paintings. He only sold one painting in his lifetime (pictured), which makes “The Red Vineyards at Arles" so special.

"The Red Vineyards at Arles" was distinctly a Van Gogh artwork. Painted in November, it has heavy layers of paint and energetic brush stroke communicated that it was his work.

He sold the artwork four months before he committed suicide. Van Gogh died before ever realizing his special place in the history of art. His “The Red Vineyards at Arles” will always be known as the only artwork he ever considered successful enough to be sold.

Graffiti: Is it an Artform or Eyesore?

Graffiti is defined by writings or drawings that have been scribed, scratched, or painted on a wall or other surface, often within public view. Graffiti has existed since ancient times, with examples dating back to Ancient Egypt.

Some people consider it to be an art form while others think of it as an eye sore. Below are some examples of student opinions on the topic.

Argument for Art From

Grafitti is a form of art when done in a respectable way that does no harm to the environment or anyone in the community. Graffiti allows the artist to express themselves through art and it helps people make a statement about what they believe in. When walking the streets of New York or any city for that matter walking past Graffiti allows you to appreciate and articulate the meaning behind the artwork. Art means something different to everyone whether it's painting on a canvas, sketching in your free time, or in the case of people who enjoy conveying themselves through graffiti, they believe that public property is the best way to display their artwork for the world to enjoy.

by Grace Hartman

Argument for Eyesore

Graffiti is an eyesore. I know this for many reasons. The most obvious reason is it is illegal. It is disrespectful to paint on things that are not yours. I think it takes away the clean look of things too. There are many other ways to express yourself without vandalizing property. Graffiti is messy and makes people mad.

by Halley Shirk

Looking at Both Sides

Graffiti is an art form and an eyesore. Depending on the type of graffiti, the location, and the permission granted shows whether graffiti is an art form or an eyesore. When graffiti is just a bunch of words or random things it does not look appealing to people, especially if they don’t understand the art of graffiti, if the graffiti is a well thought out painting or portrait, like an elaborate artwork that shows detail, then people will be intrigued because the artwork looks good, when people don’t appreciate art they will probably look at it in a negative way. When graffiti is located on important buildings that still operate it can come across as tacky or bad in a way because many people associate graffiti with vandalism, but if an artist gets permission from an owner of a building they could create a very beautiful artwork that represents graffiti in a positive way and they could make the building more interesting. If graffiti artists speak up about the way they think, they could advocate to the community about graffiti and what it stands for and represents to the artist themselves. With these ways of doing things like asking for permission artists could help change the way graffiti is perceived and provide a positive outlook for community members, and they could gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for this form of art.

by Hannah Long

Grafitti is art… sometimes. When they hear the word ‘graffiti,’ a lot of people think of the word vandalism, and in some cases they aren’t wrong. Media likes to represent the bad forms of graffiti, such as people writing their names on a random wall or important landmarks. Many graffiti artists are overshadowed by the negative connotations around their art form. Graffiti artists use it as a way to express themselves and show off their skills. They use it to make their voice known to the world when no one will listen. There are full masterpieces made every day by graffiti artists. Art works full of meaning will never be seen because of how people perceive graffiti. I think the reputation around graffiti artists deserves better.

by Mason Reed

Senior Visual & Performing Arts Spotlight

By Jazmyn Scott

Our featured senior for November is Tyler Wicks. Tyler has been in band for 8 years. His primary instrument is the trumpet but he also knows how to play the saxophone. For his sophomore, junior, and senior year, he has been a section leader in the Marching Band of One. This year in the marching bands first show, ¡Viva!, Tyler was featured as a trumpet soloist in the song, We Don't Talk About Bruno. Aside from regular band, Tyler is also a member of Jazz and Pep bands. In college, Tyler would like to be a part of the Ohio State University Marching Band while majoring in an engineering field. Tyler is an active member in the drama club as a part of the stage crew. He is also a leader of the Anti-Racism Club and a member of the Art Club. Tyler's favorite memory from band was going to the Defiance Invitational because of all of the amazing bands we were able to watch after our performance. For the past 4 years, Tyler has been so influential in Shawnee's performing arts community and we are looking forward to seeing what he accomplishes in the future!