PARLIER – With the school year quickly coming to a close, San Joaquin Valley High School took its art education off-campus, highlighting two semesters of technique development and experimentation.
On May 27, the Parlier Starbucks transformed into an art gallery for the evening, and was home to San Joaquin Valley High School’s “Visuals” art show. From water color to sketch work to aerosol paint, the exhibition showcased a stimulating mix of styles and mediums that students explored throughout the year.
“It’s amazing to see them build their own confidence,” said Carlos Aparicio, Intro to Art teacher at SJVHS. “We’re talking about students who have little-to-no experience in art who are showing up and being so committed to something that they’ve never done before.”
Aparicio shared that he began teaching in Parlier last year, and having engaged with larger art showcases like Fresno’s Art Hop, he saw an opportunity to bring a semblance of that atmosphere to a smaller community.
“I wanted to bring that here to Parlier, and expose my students to the opportunities of an artist,” Aparicio said.
After some asking around, the Starbucks team agreed to host last year’s event, and a healthy turnout made it an easy “yes” to bring it back for a second go. This year’s show featured more than 40 pieces from around 10 students.
Michelle Ruiz, one of the students featured in the show, shared that if not for her time in the class, she might never have fully developed her appreciation for drawing. Although the initial learning phase came with its fair share of challenges, she learned to give herself the time and space needed to grow.
“(Aparicio) taught us that even if we don’t know how to draw, it just takes practice, time and patience, so I feel like we just got better over time,” said Ruiz.
Fellow student Ashley Bustos shared a similar experience, saying that through Aparicio’s instruction and constant motivation, she found herself tapping into a previously untapped potential.
“I have never really taken art seriously,” said Bustos. “I have thought about it, but I’ve never really taken it seriously because I thought, ‘I don’t think I’ve got it in me,’ but (Aparicio) proved me wrong, and throughout the semesters I noticed that I had it in me, I just didn’t know it.”
For students like Kiylee Peterson, who came into the class with an already established love for art, the show served as a chance to get outside of their comfort zone and engage with others through art.
Peterson said that the thought of speaking to others in public felt a bit “overwhelming” in the leadup to the event, but the excitement of displaying her pieces ultimately outweighed the anxiety. Peterson has aspirations of one day being an art teacher, so the exhibition provided a fun, affirming experience that she felt gave her a clearer vision of that goal.
“I was really anxious to put up all my stuff because that involves me showing up and talking to people, and I have a lot of anxiety around that, but then I’m also really excited about it because this is something I want to do in the future,” said Peterson.
As the evening progressed, attendees appreciated the works of each student and found comfort in the show’s quaint, but intimate atmosphere. Closing out a successful second year, Aparicio said he wants to continue the yearly shows for as long as he can.
