When students in Jeff Bolzman’s fourth hour art class at Lapeer West High School worked on their final exam projects, they were creating more than intriguing pieces of art.
Mr. Bolzman also taught them that the principles of constructing art can be applied to life. For example, he said sculptures need a solid, strong base to support the weight of the piece. Mobiles need balance to hang and function properly. Mr. Bolzman told his students that they can apply those same ideas to life — establish a strong foundation for whatever they want to do, but don’t forget to add balance for a well-rounded life.
The students’ art pieces ranged from clay and papier-mache sculptures of animals to mobiles modeled after the works of Alexander Calder, who developed a new method of sculpting by bending and twisting wire to create three-dimensional shapes.
Some of the creations made by students in Mr. Bolzman’s classes are on display in the West media center and in display cases in the school’s hallway. View some of the pieces students were making for their final exams in the photo gallery.
“Everyone talks about hands-on education, and this is as hands-on as it gets,” Mr. Bolzman said.
