Students create Art from Science!

The Central artists are students in Beth Sokolowski's Introduction to Art and Honors Two-Dimensional Design classes. Sokolowski said she liked the idea when it was broached to her by ETHOS executive director Patsy Boehler because it allows her students to gain some public recognition for their work, and gives them a way to share their talent with the greater Elkhart community.

“It was an opportunity to give my students real world art experience, something they can be proud of for generations," Sokolowski stated.

Sokolowski said she also appreciates the project's interdisciplinary collaboration as it's teaching her students art can be used to advance and promote a variety of causes.

The project began with ETHOS supplying the Central students with a list of scientists and the painting supplies. The students then had to pick a scientist and research his or her contributions to science.

"The students had to learn how to interact and make sure everyone felt included and everyone contributed," Sokolowski explained. "For a lot of them, this was the first time they've had to do this. Art tends to be a solitary event. Some of the students initially struggled with the team concept, but they were able to pull it together."

Sokolowski said teamwork was not the only skill her students gained through the project. "They had an actual client and had to learn how to work with her," she said. "It was a great learning experience for them. They saw that it's not always about what you want, but what pleases the customer. They were able to understand, 'If the customer is not happy, you're out of a job.'"

Sokolowski said teaching the visual communication unit, which included instruction in graphic design, page layout, and pagination, took two weeks and the paintings themselves took four weeks to complete. 

“This wasn't just learning a theory; students actually put it into practice," Sokolowski said, adding she is very proud of her students, especially given the fact most of them were Introduction to Art students. 

According to their written reflections on the project, Sokolowski's students truly enjoyed it. “They loved the fact they got to work on such huge canvases. They loved the paint," Sokolowski said. "They were thrilled their work is going to be displayed for a very long time."

Sophomore Christian Guerra, who designed the Jonas Salk mural, said it was a good project, although the size and scope made it frustrating at times. Still, he acknowledged he is proud of the work and excited to see it hanging in a public venue.

Boehler is just as excited. She said the murals she's seen so far go above and beyond what she anticipated. "We received the first semester art projects and they are wonderful," Boehler said. "Some of them are exceptional. We can't wait to display them. They're going to add so much to our facility."

ETHOS will unveil the paintings at a public reception in May. 

                   Jacques Costeau