By: Arianna Bekas
AP Studio Art and AP 3D Art are two of the AP art courses Apopka High currently provides for students. While some may feel discouraged in enrolling to take these classes because they feel as though they don’t have the artistic talent to be able to create AP level art, I can tell you that your artistic abilities, while you do have to have some, do not have to be Picasso level. That’s because you will have two wonderful teachers: Mr. Houvouras and Mrs. Lieffers, there to guide you every step of the way through your artistic process.
The Blue and White interviewed Mr. Houvouras, who is the teacher of AP Art Studio. He describes AP Art Studio as “an art studio course meaning it is involved in the production of artwork. So students have to produce artwork to put into a portfolio to be reviewed by College Board at the end of the year. So instead of taking a test, they submit digital pictures of their work. The work that they do is 2D and 3D. 3D revolves around sculptures and ceramics. Or students can do 2D which is either 2D design or drawing.” Mr. Houvouras explained that for a student who wishes to take AP Art Studio, they would have to talk and review the expectations for the class with him. Houvi also mentioned why students should not be deterred from taking his class. “I think in the past students were intimidated and did not take the class because they were not the best artist. But like any AP class, that’s irrelevant. What’s important is that they get in there and they try. If they can get into class and follow directions and focus, then there is no reason why any student shouldn’t take AP Art Studio.” The best part for Mr. Houvouras about being an AP art teacher is being able to see all of the creativity from the students. “You have a lot of bright students who are really into art and they do outstanding work, and then you’ve got some students who are less good with the art but wanted to take a challenging AP class and even those students are producing some really cool works.”
To get a feel for how the students who actually took AP art studio feel The Blue and White talked to a couple of people who were currently in the class. Kelly Wilson, a senior at Apopka, wishes to be an art major so naturally, she was drawn to this class. When asked what her greatest challenge about AP Art Studio was she replied, “Trying to figure out how to work with mediums you are not used to. I usually use oil paints so using watercolor or pencil is a little bit more challenging than what I am used to.” Her favorite part is the freedom that the class allows her to have with her artwork. “You don’t have a set rulebook, it’s just about making something that looks good.” Kelly would only recommend this class to other students as long as they are up for the challenge. The second student interviewed was Malia Ebright, and she is also a senior, who is involved in both AP 3D Art and AP Art Studio. “I really like art,” Malia says. “I figured that I would like to have more college credit because I want to go with art somewhere later in life.” The biggest thing Malia has struggled with so far has been staying on task. “I spend a lot of my time talking and goofing around when I should be doing work.” Malia would recommend these AP classes, but only if the student has the discipline for it and experience with other AP classes and hard work.
To get a greater understanding about AP 3D art Mrs. Lieffers, the teacher in charge, was interviewed. When asked what AP 3D art entails, Mrs. Lieffers responded, “Students have to make 12 concentration pieces, which is one idea that your thinking outside the box on, and then you come up with your own 12 versions of that idea. You also end up having 10 breadth pieces, and these pieces are showing what you’re actually capable of. These are more assignments that I assign to you and you execute them in an artistic way.” The best part for Mrs. Lieffers about being an AP art teacher is that the class allows for her to work with a smaller group of kids. “I get to actually know each student on an individual basis as well as what’s going on in their personal lives. I also get to 
work with them on a greater artistic level.” Mrs. Lieffers also explained that for a student to take an AP art class they did not need artistic talent. “Students just need to be able to come up with their own brilliant ideas and then figure out how to execute them in an artistic way. I can help them do that part, they just need their ideas.”
Next, The Blue and White talked to some AP 3D Art students. Jenna Luddy, a sophomore, took AP 3D art because there was no set curriculum and she has the freedom to create the art she wants to make. “I’m allowed to make dragons and not get yelled at for it… most of the time.” The next AP 3D art student interviewed was Thandi Thompson, a senior at Apopka High School. When asked why students should take this class she replied, “You can be creative and out of the box. So you can take your concentration and manipulate it however you want.” Her greatest challenge has been trying to figure out what to create that’s unique and meets up to AP standards. Thandi was then asked about her favorite project she did this year. “My favorite project was a placenta I made out of polymer clay. I’m in the medical magnet and I found it really cool that I was able to create something that looked just like a human organ and put my two passions together.” Sydney Nyack, another senior, was interviewed next and she took AP 3D art because it was a bigger challenge and she wanted to step her art up. When asked what her favorite aspect of 3D art was Sydney replied, “You can do anything that you want to as long as you tie it all together in the end. So it’s challenging but also very open-minded.”
While these two AP art classes do entail a lot of work and dedication, the combination of great teachers and artistic freedom makes it an experience that you will definitely regret not being a part of. As long as you’re willing to try your hardest and put your one hundred percent into your work, this class will definitely become one of your favorites.
