The Creative Genius In Room 104

Honors Painting and Drawing: We may think it’s just a painting and drawing class, but what do we really know about it?

Honors Painting and Drawing is one of the many art classes available for seniors and is lead by instructor Mr. Kevin McGovern ’74. Curiosity strikes the mind as to what makes this class so very unique from all the other art classes. If one curious mind in particular were to wander into the classroom (wander is being used loosely here), you would find a room full of ambitious young artists working diligently on an assignment, a low hum of motivational music from Pandora, and an overall casual atmosphere.

The Honors Painting and Drawing group is highly regarded by Mr. McGovern as “quite simply the some of the most talented art students at Christian Brothers”. This class is available to seniors only and involves a level of commitment to the art.

Karla Bernardo (’14) likes Honors Painting and Drawing because the experience she gains will prepare her for art classes at the next level.

“The experience with figure drawings [is my favorite],” she says. “This class is the closest experience to a college class.”

Along with a sizable group of students that are currently taking this class, there is also a wide range of subject matter to create.

“Subject matter is up in the air”, Mr. McGovern remarked about the casualness of the young artist’s decisions on what to paint or draw. The art teacher believes that limitations can sometimes hinder the creative process, so he allows his students freedom on what they can produce.

The warm atmosphere is not the only driving force in this room — there are also helpful contributions from the instructor as well. In the first days of school, students are required to obtain a voucher from the student store so they can order supplies. By doing this, they are able to personalize their collection of art utensils aside from the usual art kit available at the store.

Mr. McGovern offers extremely useful critiques to aid the students in improving their work. Students are required to complete 6 paintings every quarter for his critiques. They first receive a grade and then talk about the art with their instructor. This critique is usually just one on one and is a very long, but informative process. Because Honors Painting and Drawing is a full year, it is the one class at Christian Brothers in which Mr.McGovern can critique every single piece that is submitted.

“I put in a lot of effort because as an artist you want to see your work completed and be proud of it afterword,” Carla says about her artwork. But students have a sense of pride and determination in their craft.

“You have to be willing to take on the challenge of drawing from observation,” Mr. McGovern says.

Honors Painting and Drawing boils down to this: it is more than just painting and drawing. It is the opportunity for students to challenge their creativity, improve their technique, and learn from their experiences.