National Art Honor Society Memory Portrait Project

The NAHS club completed 25 portraits of children from orphanages in Myanmar, Kenya, and Uganda last month. Each club member chose a photo of an orphan and the art medium of their choice to render their portrait. Patrons and friends from the Taubman Museum of Art helped to fund this activity through their generous monetary donations. A feature article with lots of photos about the CSHS NAHS chapter can be viewed on the swo-co.com website, and in the Roanoke Times “SWo-CO” publication. Our club has participated in this activity for the last 5 years, creating portraits of orphans from Guatemala, India, Mexico, and Honduras. You can read about this world-wide “children helping children” activity at http://www.thememoryproject.org

CSHS Art Students "Clean Up" at the Regional Scholastic Art Awards

CSHS art students did very well at the Scholastic Art Competitions, winning 8 of the 36 golds, which go on to New York City to be judged at the national level, and 26 of the 74 silver awards, more total awards than any other high school participating in our region. The reception is Monday, 1/26 at the Fine Arts Center of the New River Valley, 5-8.

CSHS Show at VWCC Gallery

Past and present Cave Spring High art students were invited to display their work in Virginia Western Community College's Art Gallery this past fall. Senior CVA students juried the entries and hung the exhibit. The crowd at the reception was one of the largest they had seen there and the guest comments were very encouraging. It was quite an honor.

Field Trip to Washington DC

We went to D.C. on the day before elections and expected crowds and rallies. Instead, the city was empty and we almost had the museums to ourselves. One group went to the newly reopened Smithsonian of American Art Museum (Georgia O'Keefe and Ansel Adams), The National Portrait Gallery (Presidential portraits), and the National Gallery of Art (yes, that da Vinci painting is real). Other groups went to the Museum of the American Indian (Fritz Scholder Exhibit make sure you select the Online Exhibition link), the Hirshhorn and Freer/Sackler. We can never see it all. Thanks to Billy in our Photography II class for the photos.

Roanoke's New Art Museum

Several of our students, as well as Mrs. Carr and Mrs. Pfeiffer volunteered for up to 12 hours on the opening day of the new Taubman Museum of Art. It felt like we were at a huge party, especially for those of us that worked at the front doors, greeting the 10,000 visitors. Our jobs were to count attendees (with the clickers), help those who needed wheelchairs and in the galleries themselves. Not only were our local dignitaries present, but even Governor Kaine and the mayor of Wonju were present. Some of the artists whose work was shown traveled far to be here and one of our CSHS graduates who is attending Pratt Institute in New York City came down just to volunteer. Live music and costumed creatures on stilts added to the party atmosphere. Thanks to a generous donation from a CSHS family, our art classes will be able to take a field trip to the museum in early spring.

Potter Demos for 3D Art Students

Rich Moon, our arts supervisor and a potter, came to CSHS last week and demoed on the pottery wheel. The normally boisterous class was quiet and mesmerized and Rich gave away his demo samples to the students who took the best notes. Since Rich's visit they've been working on the wheel, reviewing the copious notes they took and creating some impressive pots. All the students will get a chance on the wheel this semester. Those who enjoy it will have the opportunity to take their skills to higher levels.

CSHS Students Have Formed a Jazz Band Called Commonplace

In Febuary 2008 Ian and Bryan, both guitar players and CSHS students started playing their original jazz compositions together, including a performance in May at Festival in the Park. That night, Ian and Bryan talked to Derrick, a saxophonist and CSHS student, about adding a few tracks on the CD they hoped to record. Ian and Bryan also added vocals. The three jammed at the start of June and played their first show together less than a week later. They began recording, but needed a drummer. Ian called Kyle, a Patrick Henry student that he met on a previous project and Commonplace was formed. The band recorded all summer and played a few shows. Their first album, "I Had a Thought but I can't Prove It", came out September 27th at a CD release show at Doreen's Gourmet, which was so packed that people sat on the floor while some had to watch from the parking lot. The band is now trying to book as many live shows as possible and will soon begin recording a new EP.

Visit Commonplace at www.myspace.com/iwillinc to hear tracks and order the new album and t-shirt both designed by Matt, another CSHS student.

Upcoming events:
Oct. 11, 2008. 12 Noon at the Dominick Tennies Memorial Car Show - Thaxton, VA
Nov. 1, 2008. 6:30pm at The Water Heater - Roanoke, VA
Nov. 22, 2008. 7:30pm at The White Hart - Lynchburg, VA
Dec. 5, 2008. 7:00pm at the Edible Vibe - Rocky Mount, VA
Jan. 9, 2009. 8:00pm at the Third Street Coffeehouse - Roanoke, VA