To help create a new learning experience, art students are making wind chimes in Ceramics.

“I chose this project to inspire the individual to seek out things found in nature and incorporate them into their projects to draw from a personal place,” teacher Evanne Nasapany said.

Students had to study a ceramic artist who inspired them to create a kinetic ceramic piece, Nasapany said.

“It pushes the boundaries of their creativity because they must include elements of nature as their inspiration,” she said. “Additionally, each student must have created three options for sketches and incorporated form and color.”

Over the last two weeks, students have been in the process of sculpting the chimes.

“We got clay and welded them into our design,” junior Marilyn Downing said. “I designed an owl, so I made the body, the head, and added feathers to it. We even added texture on them using texture pallets.”

Downing said it was really cool to see the different shapes from the clay come together as one piece that looked liked her original sketch.

“It was really interactive,” she said. “I definitely feel like a stronger artist after completing it because it let me see that I can let my ideas come to life.”

The project challenged the class to think creatively, Naspany said.

“It is a useable work of art (that) they will be able to cherish forever,” she said.

Naspany said every piece tells a unique story.

“I love how diverse each student’s wind chime is because each of them see nature differently,” she said. “Everyone’s inspiration comes from a personal place and that makes their artwork unique.”