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Spartan visual, wood, ceramics and fiber arts artists shine

A photo collage of student work (2021 – 2024) captured and compiled by Journalism staff
September 20, 2022
“My idea for this piece is to place a small light inside the piece. The light will then shine through the suns and create the look of true sunlight coming through the night sky. I will incorporate transformation into my piece by showing the suns transforming the night sky into something brightly filled with hope and sunshine,” said Abby Day (‘26).
(Isabel Sands)

 

“This project is very dear to me because of how much time and energy I put into it, and I have never finished a project this big in this short amount of time.” says Sinclair Berry (‘25).
(Isabel Sands)

 

“I chose my subject by picking the most fun thing to paint,” said Anna Hopkins (‘26). “It relates to transformation because the seed is transforming and growing into a flower.”
(Isabel Sands)

 

“I chose my subject to symbolize the end of my high school career and the beginning of my college career. The roots beneath the seeds of the lily flower are used to represent the growth I’ve made throughout high school and how I’m taking this growth with me into college where I will learn, develop, and grow beyond who I am now,” Eleanor Nguyen (‘24) said.
(Isabel Sands)

 

The name of this piece is Floral. “I chose this name because when I was younger I used to collect flowers outside from my yard and create mini bouquets. My mother is a florist so I always grew up with flowers. Now I help my mother and create mini bouquets.” said Alessia Medina (‘27).
(Isabel Sands)

 

A piece by Aaron Alcamo (‘23). This painting is a self portrait of Alcamo with lots of movement around him, resembling “finding yourself.” Alcamo says he wants the viewer to make their own inferences about him “through the composition” of his artwork. (Photo by Salem Lacy)

 

A sketch image is by Liam Hogan (‘26). Hogan drew a person pushing a boulder up a hill. He says it is based on relentlessness. (Photo by Salem Lacy)

 

A magazine cutout collage. Zoey Ciampaglia (‘26), says her piece is based on “how humans have been taking over the habitat of many animals.” The words “our connection to the land is our connection to the future” is spelled out in magazine word clips. (Photo by Salem Lacy)

 

A sculpture of a bird made of reused resources. Javier Sanchez-Watts (‘26), says this piece came to be “a collection of failed ideas.” Javier focuses on the “scavenge” prompt when making this piece, as he explains in his step by step thought process. (Photo by Salem Lacy)

 

A drawing piece by Noah Watson (‘25). It resembles a brain wearing headphones. Watson says music is something important to him, it helps him cope with “the stress of school and life.” Watson says music and noise can “give you space to be alone.” (Photo by Salem Lacy)

 

“The story behind my art is to showcase the stories of Hispanic Americans. Being Hispanic is a big part of my life and something I care about deeply.,” said Joel Rodriguez (‘23). “ all my pieces are done with ballpoint pen, I chose this medium, because I enjoy the texture and depth it presents.” This drawing shows what really happens while trying to achieve the “American Dream.” (Photo by Holt Grier)

 

“I chose to do this on a sensitive subject about substance abuse. My idea was that this is an exaggerated version of someone with an addiction,” said artist, Trinity Endaya (‘24) “I brought up the subject of substance abuse with my art piece because this is something that can take control over you. It’s something that will make you blind to your actions and hurt you physically and mentally.”
(Photo by Emma Burch)

 

“The emotions I tried to express in my artwork were curiosity and foreboding,” said artist Lainey Creager (‘26). “What I am trying to say with my artwork is that nature is beautiful no matter what. I want the viewers to feel intrigued when they see my artwork.”
(Photo by Emma Burch)

 

The title of this artwork is Resilience. “I chose it because this piece tells a story of determination and growth,” said Mia Hilist (‘25). “The theme is that hard times and emotional battles can make it feel as though the world is caving in, but it’s possible to overcome anything. My work expresses what its like to overcome a depressive episode.”
(Ava Jordan)

 

This piece illustrates and represents climate change and animals. The polar bear is isolated while breaking down like its environment. “This could be a strong message.SOS is the title of my piece. A message from helpless animals that were affected by us. They are incapable of changing their situations,” said Trinity Endaya (‘24).
(Ava Jordan)

 

“According to Japanese legend, the koi fish is a symbol of luck, prosperity and perseverance. So I placed two of the koi circling around in the middle, and two of them facing a one bloomed flower and one closed flower to represent how the symbolism of koi fish is helping transform the flowers,” said Julia Hotchner (‘25).
(Ava Jordan)

 

“This is called Ancient greens because this piece is about how an ancient room turns into a pile of green rubble from time and how it transforms,” said artist Cady Landin (‘26). “I wanted people to dive into it and experience it. History can change and develop stories that can be captured with a simple glance before and after. People don’t appreciate time for what it is and take it for granted.”
(Ava Jordan)

 

“My artwork represents the changing of the ocean and its marine life. From the smallest organisms like a shark, to the majestic manta ray, the art work shows the diversity and resilience of marine life. It serves as a delicate balance within the ocean ecosystem and the importance of preserving and keeping it beautiful,” Aubrey McCormick (‘27) said.
(Ava Jordan)

 

In the breakout piece by Kendall Hamett (‘26), entitled “Joy through a flower,” purple flowers are used to represent a sense of joy through nature. Kendall says that the goal of this piece is to make people feel appreciative through nature.
(Evan Mulligan)

 

Matthew McConnell (‘24) built a Brunswick Stew Stirrer that is made out of Movingui Wood and represents part of his family’s roots and traditions.
“As a third year [student in woodworking], I created this stirrer for my family’s tradition. For my Great Grandpas’s birthday and Christmas, we make a Brunswick stew. The stew has a lot of food that needs to be broken down, and a stirring device is needed to break and mix everything together. The stirrer they were using before was old and starting to break. I thought it would be a great idea to make them a new one. I started by finding my piece of wood and making it smooth with the planer and jointer. Once it was all smooth, I drew the shape I wanted and got to cutting on the bandsaw. The bandsaw was very dangerous, and I was nervous about using it, but everything went mostly according to plan. The handle was a little misshapen, but that was easy to fix and make into a grip. I sanded the whole thing down and added the grips with the oscillating spindle sander to finish the project. We got to use it this summer and had some great stew,” said Matthew McConnell.
(Noah Roberson)
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About the Contributors
Isabel Sands
Isabel Sands, Podcast Editor. Arts & Entertainment Editor

Isabel Sands is in the 9th grade, beginning her fourth year at CSD. She is new to journalism because she decided to branch out and loves trying new things. She enjoys being spontaneous and believes that's truly the only way to have fun. Coming from a military family, she has developed her love of travel throughout the years and has been able to meet new people, see new places and experience new cultures.

“You jump, I jump, Jack” -Rory Gilmore 

“Put love out into the world. It needs it a bit right now.” -Harry Styles

“I really like chicken nuggets. They’re good.” - Curtis

 
Emma Burch
Emma Burch, Student Life Editor. Social Media Editor

Emma Burch is a junior Spartan who has been at CSD since she was in kindergarten. This is Emma’s second year as a journalist, and she continues to take the class because she enjoys the atmosphere and pushing herself to write about things outside of her comfort zone. 

In Emma’s free time, you can find her reading by the water or listening to music. To Emma, this means a good murder novel matched with that perfect song. 

“Regardless of where you're at and where you're going, where you are right now is exactly where you should be”- Zach Bryan

 
Ava Jordan
Ava Jordan, Deputy Editor-in-Chief. Opinions Editor

Ava Jordan is a senior who has been at CSD ever since kindergarten. This is Ava’s second year in journalism and she is very excited to continue to grow her writing and learn more about what it means to be a journalist. 

While at school, Ava enjoys her AP Psychology, as she wants to major in psychology in college. She loves AP Statistics, too, because of the satisfaction that comes with discovering how numbers interconnect and overlap. She is also a varsity tennis player who is competing for the first time for the school.

Out of school, Ava loves to go out with her friends! She looks forward to football games and going to work on the weekends. 

“I think the perfection of love is that it’s not perfect”

 - Taylor Swift

Evan Mulligan
Evan Mulligan, News Editor, Staff Writer
Evan Mulligan is an eleventh-grade student who started at the Community School of Davidson (CSD) in ninth grade. Evan has been participating in Journalism class for three years and sees this as a stepping stone to continue the study in college. He has a passion for politics and foreign policy and writes about these topics on both the Spartan Sentinel and his own blog. Evan is passionate about Model United Nations and has participated in several conferences in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and Washington D.C., as a member of CSD’s Model UN club. Outside of school, Evan enjoys going on walks in the woods and listening to ABBA in his free time. Quote? “The greatest good you can do for another is not just share your riches, but to reveal to him his own.” -Benjamin Disraeli Walk-up Song? ”Summer Night City” -ABBA
Noah Roberson
Noah Roberson, Features Editor. Editorial Editor

Noah Roberson is entering his senior year and has been at CSD since kindergarten, so some would call him a “lifer.” Now in his first year of journalism, he hopes to learn more about writing professionally and on a deadline. He wants to pursue a career in sports communications. He is drawn to classes that will help him prepare for his future. 

In his free time, Noah likes to collect and play retro video games such as old models of Nintendo, Playstation and Xbox. Finding old gems whether it’s at a yard sale or a store is always a good feeling for him. He also enjoys spending some quality time with his family especially before he eventually departs for college.

“Set your goals high, and don’t stop till you get there.” - Bo Jackson

 
Holt Grier
Holt Grier, News Editor

Holt Grier is a sophomore at CSD who has been a Spartan for two years. He likes acting, drawing and hanging out with friends. Holt has four siblings as well an adorable dog named Knox and a super sized cat named Truffles. He is a hoodie enthusiast who likes to be creative and wants to learn new things like how to code. He hopes to pursue a career in the arts.

 In the academic world, Holt’s favorite class is ASL because he is excited to learn a new language and culture. He hopes to add many contributions to Journalism such as adding a comic section and doing a podcast with his friend Brandon.

 

“If you believe in yourself, and with a tiny piece of magic, all your dreams will come true.”

-Spongebob Squarepants

Salem Lacy
Salem Lacy, Vice-Editor

Salem Lacy is currently a junior at CSD. They’ve been going to CSD since 2nd grade. This is their second year in Journalism class. Outside of school, they have a strong passion for reading and music, especially live concerts. This year they are looking forward to taking on the role of being Vice-Editor and continuing their learning experience of Journalism. 

“We accept the love we think we deserve” - Perks of Being a Wallflower