What Is Your Concentration?
"My interpretation of the concentration is that it explores a concept/theme and evolves
and grows. I think the value is, that sometime during foundation year in college, the
student needs to make some decisions about a path. Our job (as AP Art Teachers) is to
start that process even if it results in an entirely different turn later on. The focus will
change, but starting the focus is good for the rigor." Patti Knott AP Art Teacher
2- D and Drawing Concentrations that have been successful
From: Melissa Walker
• Self-portraits with grid overlays/ variations within each grid.
• Hands in various positions and media
• Old barns in pastel
• Reflections on a variety of surfaces
• Digital collages combining old letters, polaroids and “dark” images
• Insects with a colorful and humorous viewpoint
• Expressive landscapes painted using specific color schemes
• Eyes, a window to your soul
• Flowers, from realistic evolving to abstract multi-media
From: Emily Faxon
• Photos about human gesture and the expression of emotion
• Anime-style self-portrait drawings
• Street photography emphasizing composition with geometric forms
• Photomontage to portray events of short duration
• Painted abstractions derived from microscopic cellular structures
• Photos inspired by a story about the first flower blooming on the site of the Cambodian
"killing fields".
• Oil pastel drawings of plant material juxtaposed with manmade objects.
• Abstractions derived from still lifes (lives?) of household objects.
• Ink drawings based on photographic portraits
From: Patti Knott
• The body as landscape
• Ugly (wasn’t so ugly at all – lots of mixed media and inspiration from Banksy)
• Hands and feet
• The skeleton/bones put into before/after situations
• Social/political issues
• Unusual environments
• Masks (interpreted – how do we hide?)
• War (inspired by a Viet Nam Vet, but grew to all conflicts)
• Large close-ups of insects that evolved into very graphic interpretations
• Light ---what is light?
• Wings – how do we fly?
• Music -- interpreted patterns and rhythms to graphic images
• “Homeless” This student really went beyond in interpretation – not just how we usually
think about homeless but, - an empty shell, an empty box, parts removed from a
“whole” and what do we cherish or miss about calling something “home.”