From Blank Canvas to Masterpieces:
You Won't Believe What These Students Can Create!
Written by Shayree Sardjono (XII SOS 1 / 33) and Verena Danamaya Bintang (XII SOS 2 / 35)
With brush strokes and bursts of colors, a production house for many artists. This weekly co-curricular activity at SMA Santa Ursula Jakarta has manufactured numerous breathtaking creations for the world to see.
Many of the students from the painting humanities have been given the opportunity to exhibit their spectacular pieces in various exhibitions. Some of these students had the chance to showcase their creations in Ciputra Artpreneur during the 165th Anniversary of Saint Ursula Jakarta Campus. While others showcased their creations during this year's Open House on the 22nd of July 2023.
The Painting Humanity Booth at Saint Ursula Jakarta High School’s Open House
On the 16th of September 2023, 5 artists from the painting humanity class will also be partaking in exhibiting and auctioning their creations in the Art-1 Museum. Where 10% of the proceeds will go to women in need in Nusa Tenggara Timur, while another 10% will go to the continuation of “Sanur Painters”.All 5 of our informants chosen for the exhibit will each present a single painting; one of them, Ilena Carmelita Tirta, will showcase “Ophelia's Garden.” “This painting is inspired by ‘Hamlet’, a famous William Shakespeare play. Specifically, this story is written about Ophelia, a girl brought to madness by her lover, Hamlet.” stated Ilena. “The artwork itself is intended to raise awareness about female abuse and how we must not allow a story like Ophelia and Hamlet to occur in the real world.”
Ilena Carmelita Tirta’s “Ophelia’s Garden”
Another student from the painting humanity, Renata Regina Rusly, will also be showcasing and auctioning an original artwork called “Release” in the Art-1 Gallery.
Renata Regina Rusly’s “Release”
Behind the amazing creations of the students from the painting humanity, a teacher with about 20 years of experience has taught and supported these students behind the scenes. Kak Rahadian Prasida (widely known as Kak Semut), aged 40, who specializes in teaching art, has provided these students with knowledge of various techniques like landscapes, painting, anatomy, still life, perspective, and more. Using blank canvases, students are encouraged to envision their own ideas and bring them to life in the form of art. Kak Semut usually gives each student 4-5 projects to finish during a single academic year. On every artwork, Kak Semut will personally give the students critical feedback regarding their pieces.Whenever an opportunity presents itself, Kak Semut will allow students to showcase their creations in an exhibition. So far, he has invited his students to showcase their paintings in Balai Budaya DKI Jakarta “Pelukis Muda Jakarta Exhibition” and the Art-1 Gallery Exhibition titled “150 Pelukis Perempuan Indonesia”. “My main goal is to provide students with the utmost experience aside from weekly classes, for my students to experience the art industry, and to widen their network amongst other professional artists,” he stated.As a result, these students, who were originally prospective students, stated that the painting humanity had surpassed their expectations. According to Malaika Arijasmani Suharnoko, a third-year painting humanity student, this particular painting humanity exceeded her expectations by allowing her to take baby steps in painting while also allowing her to experiment with different mediums. This is because, during the co-curricular activity that occurs every Monday at Saint Ursula Jakarta High School, students are taught various techniques, tips,
and tricks, and are also given the freedom to create. By participating in these exercises and practices, students are assured to improve their painting abilities and gain confidence in expressing themselves via painting.In the painting humanity, students are encouraged to experiment with a variety of equipment and materials. Overtime, these students eventually settle on their favorites. According to Daniella, an eleventh-grade student in Saint Ursula High School, “I like painting with acrylics and good quality brushes and canvas.”To conclude, painting humanity doesn’t only provide students with the skills they need, but also opportunities to exhibit their paintings.