Venture High School Learning Intensive: Discovering Moab

Today we concluded our two-week spring Intensives at Venture High School.  This semester I teamed with our Adventure teacher to take a group of students to Moab, Utah.  Last week we spent five days at the Goldbar campground with over 30 students.  Half of the students worked on fitness credits while the other half were painting landscapes.  The art students and I hiked to locations such as Delicate Arch and Corona Arch, where we drew and painted.  We also spent a great deal of time Plein Air painting in the Goldbar area. We were privileged to have John Poon with us the entire week to provide input and to demonstrate Plein Air painting.  During our free time, we mountain biked and swam.  When we returned, my students had a strong assortment of drawings, paintings, photographs, and memories.  This week they had the opportunity to put all that reference together as they completed a set of final landscape paintings which they exhibited in their own art show this afternoon.  It was exciting to see it all come together.  Each student exhibited three paintings along with an artist statement.  It was well attended by students and families, and I would like to thank all those who supported these students.  A huge thank you to John Poon!  And congratulations to all my students for a job very well done!