Artists can find their voice at Juan Diego's Fine Arts Academy

Courtesy photo/JDCHS

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By Georgia Alley

Special to the Intermountain Catholic

The Academy of Fine Arts is a relatively new program at Juan Diego Catholic High School that helps passionate young artists become enriched in the subject of their choice. Students in the AFA follow a “track” throughout their four years of high school that includes a concentration in visual arts, instrumentals, vocals, drama or dance.

Prospective AFA members are asked to meet the requirements for their track — a certain number of advanced-level arts courses, service based in the arts, and a solo exhibition of their work during their senior year.

As an Academy of Fine Arts member, I recently completed my visual arts solo exhibition of pieces from all four years of my high school experience. The focus of my show was my AP Studio Art concentration.

AP Studio Art is a college-level art course in which students create 24 to 29 pieces of art, with 12 of those pieces being the “concentration,” or common theme. This year, my concentration focuses on how buildings and environments interact with human life to shape personalities, feelings and dispositions.

I gained my interest in the way spaces interact with life forms when I started pursuing my intended college major, architecture. I started thinking about the way buildings are not just inanimate structures, but environments that promote socialization and provoke feelings. Using art to keep my thought process going on design is incredibly powerful in preparing me for my future as an architect.

The AFA is an important opportunity for young artists finding their voices. I am incredibly thankful for the opportunity to be able to showcase my art for the Juan Diego community, and the overwhelming support I received was profoundly encouraging.

Georgia Alley is a Senior and Academy of Fine Arts student at Juan Diego Catholic High School.