Going global with their art

Lauren Vane

Trying their hand at an ancient Turkish art form was the day’s first

assignment for art students at the Pegasus School, a private school

in Huntington Beach.

In the school’s art center, seventh- and eighth-graders in an

elective art class created marbled prints and designed woodcuttings

to make block prints.

The students at Pegasus were taking advantage of a freshly

expanded art program taught by Anne Brooks and Vicki Truka. The two

are new to Pegasus and have taken the art program to new levels.

“We really want them to develop their expression,” Truka said.

Brooks and Truka lead the students together in a variety of art

projects, from collaged self-portraits to pottery. Brooks said the

Pegasus School made the decision to expand its art program at a time

when many art programs are being crushed.

“Our goal is to make them have confidence in their own creative

ability,” Truka said.

That, she said, is especially important in middle school, when

many children begin to lose confidence.

“They have a lot of ownership in what’s going on and that’s what

we want,” said Truka.

Brooks said she and Truka share the same philosophy of trying to

change the teaching material from semester to semester and work in

art history whenever they can.

“We don’t like to give them a formula,” said Truka. “Most of the

things we do in here end up being a little experimental for

everyone.”

Gerald Frolich, 12, of Huntington Beach, was concentrating on

carving the design of a tiger shark into his block of wood. Frolich

said he likes to come to art class in the morning.

“I like it ‘cause I usually don’t do anything at home, I usually

do homework all the time,” said Frolich.

At another table, Lindsey Kish, 12, of Costa Mesa, and Samantha

Murray, 12, of Corona del Mar, were also working on block printing.

“Ooh! It’s ugly!” Murray said. “See, sometimes your prints come

out bad!”

“You get to let your imagination go wild!” Kish said. “You just

kinda let yourself be yourself and have fun.”

Truka said that the students have been enthusiastic about taking

art at school, adding that the students are making the choice to

attend, since the class is an elective. Sometimes, they even show up

early.

“It’s a place where they can get away from the rest of the

pressures of academics,” said Truka.