All photos by Kesta Fang.
On April 6th, Malden High School’s art students came together to showcase the months of hard work and dedication they put into their art pieces. The gallery space was graciously donated by John Preotle, a frequent supporter of Malden. Students used the night to marvel at the variety of artworks, ranging from self-portraits to ceramics, creating a culturally fulfilling night for the artists in Malden.
To decide which pieces to display, Joseph Luongo and other art teachers deliberated on what to pick out of students’ portfolios. While upperclassmen are usually better represented, Luongo praised the underclassmen, stating, “I think this year we had more Foundations of Art and Studio I work than ever.”
Melissa Sullivan helped set up the gallery and guided students in displaying their art to the world. She explained that “as a faculty in the fine arts department, we go through all the classes that each [art] teacher teaches and we pick out students who stand out not for just their skill level, but the quality and effort that they put into each piece.” For Sullivan, it was her first experience with the art show, but it was a beautiful one for her, having families, administration, and even the mayor present. “It was a great experience, I think, for families and students to be a part of.”
One of the spotlight categories for this year’s art show was self-portraits. This project was quite challenging as students had to learn how to accurately enlarge portions and include the process of shading. In Studio III, they did a separate portrait project based on maps, where students brought portraits to life through the different lines found in topographical and standard maps from different countries.
Senior Emmalyn Woods was proud of her achievements in the art program this year and excited for the gallery. “Every now and again, I bring my friends over just so I can show them how cool everybody’s art is,” she said. She continued to describe it as a nice and peaceful place to relax and admire others’ work. “Words can’t describe the pieces themselves. I’d much rather recommend people to go there.”
In addition to the gallery, Malden High School also recognized students for awards in the “Scholastic Reading, Writing, and Art Awards”. These students are given awards by the independent scholastic company. Any winners whose pieces are recognized will go on to other art shows for tournament-like competitions.
Overall, Mr. Luongo was very happy and proud of the results and art pieces in the 2023 Art gallery, describing it as “the highlight of the year for the art department.” Students also praised the gallery for its beauty and diversity.
After the show closes on May 11th, all student works will be returned to their creators as the art department prepares for another stunning year of creative pieces.
Ceramics full of liveliness. 
Acrylic paintings hung between the hallway and the back room. 
Mythological themed artworks and Monoprint artworks. 
The wall of the back room, filled with colorful paintings; each one filled with a strong sense of fun. 
Display of ceramics at the back of the gallery, the colors correspond to each other.
