Now that the AP portfolios have finally been submitted, students can finally relax after months of hard work. In order to honor their months of work and preparation we are showcasing each of our artists! We will take a deeper look into the meanings, processes, and materials behind each of Christina’s incredible pieces.

Christina’s sustained investigation revolves around the idea of time and change. For her sustained investigation, she used symbolism and metaphors to show her own personal experiences of fear of change. She wanted her pieces to be thought provoking, depicting mysterious and uncomfortable feelings of change. She experimented with different mediums such as charcoal, clay and acrylic paint.

Gallery • 7 Photos

Photo courtesy of Christina Cerreto

Name: Slipping Through Time

Material: Pencil Black Acrylic Paint, Gold Leaf 

Meaning: This piece symbolizes the feeling of slipping through time and also being trapped. We can’t stop change from happening which traps us. We are forced to slip through time despite wanting to stay right where we are. The gold leaf is used in the background to add an ethereal/ mystical feeling. The figure is slipping away like sand as they were defeated by change. 

Name: Out of Time 

Material: Clay, Acrylic Paint, Sand Paint

Meaning:This sculpture is a play on the same kind of ideas portrayed in the piece above. The figure slipping out of the hourglass as well as the broken hourglass itself,represent dissatisfaction and dread of change. 

Name: Holding onto the Past

Material: Yellow gouache, fine tip pen, water color paint

Meaning: This piece is a visual representation of holding onto past relationships that have changed or disappeared altogether. The pose represents a longing for what once was. The figure being dark and shadowy symbolizes the past and connects to multiple other pieces. The yellow in the background is meant to symbolize hope for the future. 

Name: Refusal  

Material: acrylic paint on canvas

Meaning: This piece represents refusal to accept change. Rather than breaking free and going along with the passing time and changes around them, the figure decides to stay stuck inside their shell where it is familiar despite the rest of the world changing around them. 

Name: The Inevitable

Material: black and white charcoal, charcoal paper

Meaning: This piece depicts feelings of trying to hold onto one’s past self. It represents the inner tug of war of trying to remain the same while the rest of you longs for change. The dark figure in the image is trying to onto their lost self but change is inevitable. The white figure is their current self breaking free from the confines of the past. 

Name: Stopping the Clock

Material: foam, acrylic paint, sharpie, metal clock hands, construction paper, modeling clay, battery pack

Meaning: In this piece there is a dark figure trying to stop the hands of time. It’s a literal depiction of trying to stop time from happening in order to hinder change. The figure wants everything to stay the same and for time to stop where it is. 

Name: N/A

Material: Gold leaf, black and white charcoal, news paper, elmer’s glue, charcoal paper

Meaning: This piece also depicts a person trying to literally stop/turn back the clock. The background is filled with negative news articles containing tragic events. The figure is trying to stop the clocks so that these events don’t happen. The gold leaf on the clock hands connects other pieces in the investigation as well.