Drury Students Turn New Page with Art Project
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Not something you'd typically see in a library.
When 31 Drury High School students took on an art project for Phoebe Pepper's art class — titled "Altered Books" — they were encouraged to think "outside the margins," to recycle an old book into a work of art. On display at the North Adams Public Library this month, the works showcase art that concentrates on the personal and the universal, the mundane and the extraordinary.
"Their assignment was to take a book that exists and change it into something that could be a completely different art form and they were told they had the freedom to push the limits of the genre," said Pepper, at an open house for the works on Tuesday night.
Utilizing everything from encyclopedias to yearbooks to the works of Edgar Allan Poe, the students created one-of-a-kind innovative pieces of art that saw books destroyed, transformed and even unrecognizable.
For senior Laura Whitney, 17, the altered book project was a chance to combine her passion for underground music with her interest in art.
"I'm liking it," Whitney said of her autumn-inspired piece called "Scarecrow Field." Constructed using leaves, hay and authentic lamb skin, the scarecrow sculpture lies propped up inside a world atlas.
Another project, featuring burned and mangled pages and ripped black and white photographs, saw Whitney paired with fellow senior Lacie Phillips to create what they called a testament to depression.
"It's just about depression in general," Phillips said.
Altered books is becoming an increasingly popular art form, Pepper said, and the students in her studio art, advanced art and independent art study courses reviewed online galleries of examples of the art before starting their own work.
Pushing the Limits
"This was the first time I got this wild with their projects. Sure, we've been abstract in the past but nothing quite as open-ended as this," said Pepper, who called the artwork "avant garde."
"It was almost too much freedom for them they really rose to the challenge. They really pushed the limits of the medium," she said.
Senior Jenna Haley, 17, said her book was inspired by her own thoughts and memories.
"I've never done anything like this before so it was fun. I'm really happy with the way it came out," said Haley, a senior who will be going on to study at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in the fall.
Her piece, titled "A Young Mind," was the only work that featured art on every page — and the cover. A mix of photography, collage and cut-outs, the altered book had a theme of past, present and future.
"I wanted to show what I think about. Every page is different and maybe it'll make people think about their own families and their own thoughts," Haley said.
Jenna Haley |
 Laura Whitney & Lacie Phillips |
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