2023 MAEA Recognitions Exhibit

Organization or School Affiliation: Oliver Ames High School

Student Name: Nicole Brooks
Grade: Grade 12
Artist Statement: My intention for "It’s My Party" was to display how ceramic objects can absorb and reflect color. Making this still life an all-white arrangement of ceramic items allowed me to showcase those reflected tones of color more clearly. At first glance the painting appears monochromatic but with a closer look one can see the subtle tones of pinks, yellows and mauve absorbed into these white pieces.
Teacher: Kristyn Shea

Organization or School Affiliation: Oliver Ames High School

Student Name: Leah Curtin
Grade: Grade 12
Artist Statement: "Natural Light" portrays the moment just before darkness ascends on a summer night. This landscape displays a backyard pool and fire pit nestled in the woods, capturing the beauty and life of summer with its lush vegetation. For the composition, I utilized rich tones of oil paint that envelop the trees and flower beds, and crisp lines detailing the fence surrounding the pool.
Teacher: Kristyn Shea

Organization or School Affiliation: Hopedale Jr. Sr. High School

Student Name: Brent Zhang
Grade: Grade 12
Artist Statement: It was made in memory of the times my Godmother took care of me for four months when my dad and mom had to do something significant. She was an exceptional person who had a beautiful koi pond that my godbrother and I would clean. It was also created due to my dreams of visiting and living in Japan one day to experience the exotic culture.
Teacher: Laura Buchanan

Organization or School Affiliation: Somerville Public Schools

Student Name: Hayley Machado
Grade: Grade 10
Artist Statement: My mugs were inspired by bees being at risk of extinction. It’s not commonly known that bees are a crucial part of our lives; they do a lot for us. They pollinate plants that grow our food! My vision for these mugs was to create pieces that serve as a reminder that bees play a big part in the lives of humans. I hand carved a bee-hive pattern on both mugs and put small bees on the top.
Teacher: Taylor Byrne

Organization or School Affiliation: Oliver Ames High School

Student Name: Sophia Byron
Grade: Grade 12
Artist Statement: I am intrigued by everyday life moments through the ordinary subject. My intention was to portray the moment before one takes the first bite of their breakfast. My intention was to display the gaze of the viewer looking down at the food as though they were in the moment with us. The title indicates everything as in an everything bagel and the relatability of daily routines that we see everywhere.
Teacher: Kristyn Shea

Organization or School Affiliation: Hopedale Jr. Sr. High School

Student Name: Naima Esquivel Beletzuy
Grade: Grade 11
Artist Statement: Makeup propped up on top of the leather, customized clutch and the delicate pearls and sterling silver heart earrings alongside the pink, crystal perfume represent the few smaller things in my life that make me feel beautiful. Having the routine of putting on lipgloss, wrapping the pearls around my neck and spritzing the light yet strong scent of my perfume remind me of why I love being a woman.
Teacher: Laura Buchanan

Organization or School Affiliation: Somerville High School

Student Name: Reeves Beckley
Grade: Grade 12
Artist Statement: Time as a construct is always ticking in my head. What I create out of this constant reminder that my life is accelerating, is an exploration of the effect it has. Every piece I make is me processing the emotion I feel. Every stray mark, tear, or burn is used to almost sculpt something from my head to the surface. As a mixed-disciplinary artist, sculpt is my chosen verb used to describe my process
Teacher: Jessica Howard

Organization or School Affiliation: Dennis Yarmouth Regional High

Student Name: Rhiddi Patel
Grade: Grade 12
Artist Statement: For my piece, I got the inspiration from Medusa turning into stone. And so I glazed the snakes in almost a stoney texture to represent them turning into stone. But I also left some snakes looking more “alive” by glazing them in shades of green. This way, she looks like she’s in the process of turning into stone. Her horror expression was also another aspect that contributed to the work.
Teacher: Craig Brodt

Organization or School Affiliation: Dennis Yarmouth Regional High

Student Name: Ciara Barboza
Grade: Grade 12
Artist Statement: I created my piece by creating two slab pieces and using a slump mold to create the body of the vase. I used a pottery wheel to create the foot and neck of the vase. I then used Raku glazes and did a Raku firing to complete the surface. The white crackle glaze along with the firing created an ancient look to the piece. The splashes of the metallic colors show great contrast from the white.
Teacher: Craig Brodt

Organization or School Affiliation: Billerica Memorial High School

Student Name: Chloe Le
Grade: Grade 10
Artist Statement: This work was created through fusion of two photographs stacked together by double exposure. Through a composition that embodies both nature and our personal interactions with the living world, an inseparable duality arises.
Teacher: Brenda Fredericks

Organization or School Affiliation: Somerville High School

Student Name: Caden Yarberry
Grade: Grade 12
Artist Statement: I made this piece using wire, clay leftover from a history assignment, and tinfoil. I started by shaping the wire into a skeleton of a hand, bulked it up with foil, then put a layer of clay over that to add details. The hole represents injury. For me, that applies to rowing. Gripping the oar so hard skin peels. Though I hope it can resonate with anyone who has worked to their detriment.
Teacher: Jessica Howard

Organization or School Affiliation: Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School District

Student Name: Hunter Roy
Grade: Grade 10
Artist Statement: In this photo I captured the essence of the moment. My friend was having a terrible, dreadful day. Just dealing with it. His look with a lack interest, yet also a hint of concern. Capturing the dreadfully content feeling was my concern in that moment.
Teacher: Angela Da Rocha

Organization or School Affiliation: Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School District

Student Name: Mykola Tretiakov
Grade: Grade 11
Artist Statement: This photo represents the type of people who just prefer to watch. They get a huge enjoyment while watching some conflicts at work or political events such as war or watching how a person is trying to achieve success and on the way to fall. They do not try to help them or solve a problem. They just watch.
Teacher: Angela Da Rocha

Organization or School Affiliation: Billerica Memorial High School

Student Name: Chengjie Chen
Grade: Grade 9
Artist Statement: Art is often described as something that exists without a scale. A tiny canvas can mean just as much to someone as a side of a building that has been decorated. In said sequence, there is no start to the fibonacci sequence nor an end. The result of this is art infinitely large, and infinitely small. Beauty of all proportions. The design was created by using the pen tool in Photoshop.
Teacher: Brenda Fredericks

Organization or School Affiliation: Billerica Memorial High School

Student Name: Preston Gianacopolis
Grade: Grade 12
Artist Statement: I used expressive strokes of watercolor to create a semi-realistic portrait of me and my friend. The hat in this piece was made out of leftover materials from a craft I did with preschoolers. When I create a piece I push my limits and creativity. I made it more complex by adding another subject, editing the original photo to make the colors pop, and taped up the border in an interesting way.
Teacher: Brenda Fredericks

Organization or School Affiliation: Manchester Essex Reg SD

Student Name: Shay Engelhart
Grade: Grade 10
Artist Statement: I made this piece after noticing many artists' ways of portraying nature in their artwork. I have always had an inspiration for nature and enjoyed doing my artwork off beautiful landscapes. I used an unusual technique of just using a palette knife which I have been doing a lot recently because of how loose and free you can be with it.
Teacher: Tamera Burns

Organization or School Affiliation: Millis High School

Student Name: Genesis Figueroa
Grade: Grade 11
Artist Statement: This piece was solely to have a piece with soft pastels, and learn how to use my knowledge in art to create something with them. It was a practice in lighting and technique, but to create something that was a conflict between complementary colors as well.
Teacher: Carol Haggerty

Organization or School Affiliation: Millis High School

Student Name: Scarlett Snow-Angel Ruggeri
Grade: Grade 11
Artist Statement: This piece is representative of victim blaming. Often times individuals who have gone through a sexual assault will get blamed. I used different images to represent a survivor and added the words “who would ask for this” as in why would anyone voluntarily want this?
Teacher: Carol Haggerty

Organization or School Affiliation: Billerica Memorial High School

Student Name: Katherine Medeiros
Grade: Grade 12
Artist Statement: This is a self portrait done in watercolor. I used many vivid, unnatural colors to give the piece a sense of surprise and shock such as shown on my face. This portrait shows me in a vibrant way which is contrary to how I portray myself in the real world. This painting shows how when I do art I can express myself in ways I am unable to in day to day life.
Teacher: Brenda Fredericks

Organization or School Affiliation: Lynn Classical High School, Lynn Public Schools

Student Name: Amy Matul
Grade: Grade 12
Artist Statement: My piece portrays a child's wariness of dark halls, inspired by fears of different people I have met throughout my time, including my own. Small creatures follow the boy, as imaginary friends or toys brought to life, helping to calm him and support him along the way. Meanwhile, hidden dangers lurk in the dark. By applying ink, I showcase how horror-like concepts can embody a child's fear.
Teacher: Erin Sutton