Keystone Magazine Learning the Keystone Way 2015-2016 EN | Page 43

lessons also enabled them to
produce their own messages
through the art of printmak-
ing. One grade 8 student, Jerry
Zhou explains his print: “I chose
to focus on deforestation. Us-
ing an hourglass, I showed how
our beautiful earth – top of the
hourglass – is transforming into
a desert at the bottom. I called
it ‘the change,’ though I don’t
mean it positively. Like in Guer-
nica, I think negative images de-
liver more powerful messages.”
Joya chose to highlight the un-
derreported plight of dolphins.
“Only 50 remain in China and
no one cares,” she bemoans.
Another classmate, Mark Wang,
chose to depict the need to
save energy and the environ-
ment through green travel.
Smoking is a serious problem
in many societies, and “children
are the biggest victims; I have
seen parents smoking in their
child’s presence. It is horrible,”
said Terry who chose to focus
his print on this grave issue.
Visual Arts offer students a way
to communicate in a universal
language, according to Ms.
Aguilera: “They are not bound
by words; instead they are
fueled and inspired by ideas. A
good artist, in my mind, must
have ideas. Ultimately, I do not
expect students to become ac-
complished artists; however, I
do want them to be able to ap-
preciate the Arts, to think intel-
ligently about what motivates
artists and to support artists.
Art is what brings cultures alive,
and what motivates us to think
about our beliefs and values.”
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