Solvang School: Inspired in Nature

February 6 - May 31, 2020

Itzel Medina, When Serenity Calms the Storm - First Place Award — Itzel Medina, *When Serenity Calms the Storm* - First Place Award

The Wildling Museum of Art and Nature is pleased to announce a new Barbara Goodall Education Center exhibition, Inspired in Nature, featuring photography by 29 Solvang School Yearbook and Media students.

The students, grades 7 – 8, were inspired by American transcendentalist writer and philosopher Henry David Thoreau’s quote: “All good things are wild and free.” Students were tasked with the challenge of applying their photography skills to develop an image that captured the essence of Thoreau’s quote. Specifically, students focused on color and contrast, symmetry, and depth of field in planning and executing their individual visions.

Students turned their lenses to nature, many finding inspiration in their own backyard with subjects ranging from pets and family members, to local landscapes and sunsets captured in both color and black and white.

“Natural beauty can truly be discovered anywhere, and if this show helped students discover the outdoors and ignited their creativity through photography, it’s already an incredible achievement,” said Wildling Museum Executive Director Stacey Otte-Demangate.

Sophia Delacruz, A Settled Leaf - Second Place Award — Sophia Delacruz, *A Settled Leaf* - Second Place Award

The Wildling museum is grateful to former Los Angeles Times and NFL professional photographer George Rose, who judged the students’ work and will award the top three works, along with honorable mentions at the upcoming opening reception on Thursday, March 12, 2020.

“These students presented a great diversity of subject matter with thoughtful captions all capturing their assigned theme,” said Rose. “I was impressed to see black and white photography included in the exhibit, as it’s often the most difficult to transfer to print. These students should be commended for their photography skills.”

Naomi Ferguson, A Walk to Peace - Third Place Award — Naomi Ferguson, *A Walk to Peace* - Third Place Award

The students’ instructor, Alyssa Spanier, has been teaching for five years at Solvang Schools, and this is her third year as the Media and Yearbook advisor. “Solvang School is very excited about our partnership with the Wildling Museum to create this exhibit and share our students’ work with the community for the second year in a row,” said Spanier.

In the Media and Yearbook class, students learn through individual and group projects about various media forms including print, digital, video, and audio. They also explore photography and the elements of design to develop the school yearbook.

Click here to download the press release.