FEBRUARY EDITION
The Avatar is a monthly publication filled with student works and articles all centered around art & literary works, set on showcasing the creative talents of our school. From painting, to writing, to performances, the Avatar is here to display the young artists of our generation in order to promote their growth.
ARTICLES BY AVATAR STAFF
SHOW AVATAR SOME LOVE February Literary Contest
Congratulations to Leah Johnson for winning the SHOW AVATAR SOME LOVE February Literary Contest. Thank you to all that entered the contest.
What is Love?
By Leah Johnson
is it that warm feeling
is it sweet like a dove
does it make you high as the clouds
it makes me leave reality
is love filled with beautiful song
love makes me feel like I have immortality
love makes me strong
is love filled with joy
is love filled with bliss
with love you lose some coin
love is something I miss
is love fantasy
or for me can it be reality
FEBRUARY'S COLOR OF THE MONTH
RED
By Mia Molina
History:
The color red has been around for more than 40,000 years. Red ochre was a pigment used during the Late Stone Age and the Paleolithic Age. This pigment was used in body paintings, cave paintings, and cosmetics in ancient Egypt. The Ancient Romans also adored the color red and used it in all of their wall paintings. Cinnabar was known to be the most expensive pigment used by the Romans, even more expensive than Egyptian blue and red ochre from Africa.
Painting with Red:
Edvard Munch’s The Scream is an example of how the color is used. The red sky depicted in the painting was inspired by a real-life event, the eruption of Krakatoa. The artist used red to show anger or torment due to the effects of this eruption. But the artwork symbolizes the artist’s anxiety and despair.
Symbol of the color:
Red is a symbol of love in Western culture, which is different from Asian cultures where the color’s symbol means good fortune and joy. In Europe, red is seen as a symbol of power. The color red can be associated with fire and violence but it can also be associated with love and passion. Red can have a positive or negative connotation depending on how it’s used. In history, red can either be depicted by the Devil or Cupid.
Fun Facts:
*Red can have a physical effect on people by raising blood pressure and respiration rates.
*Red is the first color babies can see after black and white
*The color red is considered to be the rarest hair color.
UPCOMING SHAWNEE SPOTLIGHT TALENT SHOW
By Sami Rettig
Are you in need of a good smile, laugh, or drop of your jaw? Well is there no better place to get those feelings than at this year's Shawnee Spotlight Talent Show. During this two day event the audience will have the pleasure of being in the presence of some of Shawnee's most remarkable students. This show will include 6 performances from both the high school, and 6 from the future of Shawnee: the middle school. From singing, dance performances, and instrumental acts, to some jokes and bickering between me and my fellow co-host Braden Taylor, this show will truly have it all. Learn more on the attached flier below, and we all hope to see you at the 2024 Shawnee Spotlight Talent Show!
FEBRUARY 27TH
NATIONAL RETRO DAY
What’s your retro? On National Retro Day, swoop the hair into a mile-high beehive or strut those eight-inch bell bottoms. Can you maximize the curls for a stellar Afro? Don’t hesitate to break out the old roller skates and see if you still have those mad skills. Tie the hair up with a polka dot bandana and strike muscle pose like Rosie the Riveter. Maybe you prefer a moonwalk, a leather jacket, and a single glove.
With no smartphones, internet, or social media, we spent more time focused on each other when we were together. Each moment is recorded in memory for us to look back retrospectively and not for the whole world to see.
SENIOR FINE/PERFORMING ART SPOTLIGHT
February’s Feature: Jayna Zeltner
What fine / performing art classes have you taken at SHS?
I have taken three semesters of Drawing and Panting, one semester of Sculpture and Ceramics, and four years of Band.
What instrument(s) do you play and how long have you played? What do you like most about that instrument?
I have played flute for eight years and oboe for two. I knew before fifth grade that I wanted to play the flute, but it wasn’t until high school that I was inspired to play oboe. I love the unique sounds of the two and how much fun it can be to play them, especially in a band.
What is your favorite art medium to work with and why?
It’s difficult to narrow it down since I enjoy them all, but if I had to pick, I would say crafts such as crochet or origami. For drawing, I like the wide array of things that can be done with just a pencil or graphite.
How many years have you competitively danced and what company do you dance for?
I have danced for 16 years at The Arts Center, 10 of which being competitive.
What’s your favorite genre of dance and why do you enjoy this genre specifically?
I love tap because I can create my own sound/music while dancing, and I love acro because I can show the capabilities of the human body while telling a story.
What extracurricular activities are you involved in at the high school?
I am currently a part of Art Club and Pep Band, but in previous years I was part of Spanish Club as well.
What are your future plans beyond high school?
As of right now, I plan on pursuing a career in the performing arts, specifically dance. I would like to travel the world and possibly perform at the international level.
What advice do you have for underclassmen considering getting involved in the fine / performing arts?
Whatever it is you want to do, make sure you enjoy it. It’s very easy to compare yourself to others, especially in the arts, but everyone learns at different paces, and every person is different in how they express their own art.
CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH WITH ARTIST: JACOB LAWRENCE
FEBRUARY ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
By Mia Molina
Born in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Jacob Lawrence and his family moved to Harlem when he was only 13 years old. At a young age, Lawrence participated in community art workshops where he discovered his love of art. His teacher, Charles Alston, saw Jacob Lawrence's talent early on. Lawrence not only experienced the Harlem Renaissance but also the beginning of the Great Depression which inspired his later artworks. His most famous panel is The Great Migration series.
The Great Migration series depicts African Americans in the South relocating to big cities in the North. These cities were mostly Chicago, New York, and St. Louis. To escape the Jim Crow Laws in the South, African Americans who moved to the North noticed a different type of discrimination. Jacob Lawrence wanted to show the different experiences that African Americans encountered historically. Jacob Lawrence perfectly expressed in his artworks the feelings and thoughts of many African Americans during this era.
ODE TO APHRODITE
FEBRUARY LITERARY SPOTLIGHT
By Carrie Briggs
February is Valentine’s Day, and many poets and writers deal with love. This February, I’d like to highlight one of my favorite love poems, Ode to Aphrodite by the Greek poet Sappho. It is a lyric poem where the poet calls to Aphrodite for their love.
“If she runs away, soon she shall pursue; if she does not accept gifts, why, she shall give them instead; and if she does not love, soon she shall love even against her will,” Sappho expresses. This is my favorite line from the poem because it tells of hope that the poet’s love will be reciprocated. To me, this poem is a cry for love, but poems mean something different to everyone. Another way I see it is that the poet is praying that her pain of unrequited love is lifted.
However it may be a scene, it’s a truly beautiful writing. This is the full work;
“Ornate-throned immortal Aphrodite, wile-weaving daughter of Zeus, I entreat you: do not overpower my heart, mistress, with ache and anguish,
but come here, if ever in the past you heard my voice from afar and acquiesced and came, leaving your father’s golden house,
with chariot yoked: beautiful swift sparrows whirring fast-beating wings brought you above the dark earth down from heaven through the mid-air,
and soon they arrived; and you, blessed one, with a smile on your immortal face asked what was the matter with me this time and why I was calling this time and what in my maddened heart I most wished to happen for myself: “Whom am I to persuade this time to lead you back to her love? Who wrongs you, Sappho?
If she runs away, soon she shall pursue; if she does not accept gifts, why, she shall give them instead; and if she does not love, soon she shall love even against her will.”
Come to me now again and deliver me from oppressive anxieties; fulfil all that my heart longs to fulfil, and you yourself be my fellow-fighter. “
— Sappho (6th century BCE)
AVATAR'S BLAST FROM THE PAST: 2002
By Dex Hooker
The first Avatar was published in 1975 and the publication has been continuous ever since then. This article will spotlight some of the best submissions over the years.
I selected to spotlight the drawing to the left because the piece is an impressive drawing and completely free-handed. I like the word flow and the vocabulary used to describe the scene in the poem below. Both of these works are very impressive and thought everyone would enjoy seeing them.
As Silver Moonlight dances
Framing the angelic face
A glossy image prances
One that may not erase
Muffled sounds can be heard
Starry eyes they cannot hide
The figure never once blurred
Refuses to be put aside
Whole lives have been spent
For trying to attain what it all may have meant
Is sadly lost in vain
This fancy we should cherish for without, the soul shall perish
-Christina Piron
Famous February Artist Birthdays
By Chloe Angel
Lisa Marie Presley - February 1, 1968
A singer-songwriter, famous for being the daughter of Elvis and Priscilla Presley. Known as the princess of rock ´n´ roll, and queen of pop.
Norman Rockwell - February 3, 1894
Rockwell, a visual artist known for his works that featured United States culture. One of these paintings, The Problem We All Live With (1964), depicts segregation and the problems with racism in America during the time.
Grant Wood - February 13, 1891
Grant Wood is most famous for his painting known as American Gothic from 1930. He would do paintings that would show rural people, Iowa cornfields, and American history.
Jason Veasey - February 4
Veasey is a performance artist that is doing broadway. He is most known for A Strange Loop and The Lion King.
Ann Harada - February 3, 1964
Harada is another performance artist that does acting and singing. Most known for her role in Avenue Q.
Pierre-Auguste Renoir - February 25, 1841
A leading painter in impressionist styles. Used broken brushstrokes and a bold combination of complementary colors.
TOBY KEITH TRIBUTE
By Noah Sims
Toby Keith was a significant country music singer who unfortunately passed this month. He struggled with stomach cancer for the last few years, but he never let it slow him down as he continued to perform and entertain his loyal fans. I made this graph art in memory of the legendary star. The Red Solo Cup is a reminder of one of his most famous songs of the same name. Even non-country music fans have heard that song. Keith was a loyal American and always supported our troops through the War on Terror. He even made a few songs that portrayed his American pride. If you haven't heard of Toby Keith, try looking him up and listening to some songs. I promise you won't regret it.
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2023/24 AVATAR STAFF
Mr. Krawetzke - Avatar Advisor
Carrie Briggs
Caitlyn Smitheram
Noah Sims
Chloe Angel
Mia Molina
Sanaa Khandakani
Sami Rettig
Dex Hooker