Several talented artists shared their abilities with enthusiastic Beaver Area art students March 18 for Careers in the Arts Day.

Ms. Stephanie Rubino—business owner and entrepreneur—demonstrated how to create faux flower arrangements.

Ms. Julie McCarty demonstrated ceramics and clay spinning.

Mrs. Cassie Brkich demonstrated business and logo design.

Mrs. Karen Steffes—retired Beaver Area art teacher—led students in zine making.

Ms. Alessandra Cleis—pastry chef—taught students how to pipe icing designs and roll fondant.

Both high school and middle school students participated in activities.

Ms. Rubino was set up in the cove with boxes of flowers, leaves, and ribbon, ready to teach groups of guys and gals how to make their own wall hangings.

She explained the details of her business as well as the work she puts in. Over the past six weeks, she has created arrangements for six weddings—that’s a wedding per week and a whole lot of work.

She has multiple employees, a workshop, and is always working ahead.

Learning to make flower bouquets “was really fun,” said senior Jocie Biela.

Ms. McCarty was situated in the back of Room C-6 where she taught students how to throw, press, pinch, push, pull, and smooth clay balls into cylindrical “pots”.

Logan Shoaf, eighth grade, said the clay station was his favorite: “I enjoyed learning that you have to do different movements with your hands to make the clay skinnier or wider.”

His friend Redding Brand, also in eighth grade, added: “It was kind of scary cause I kept getting hit with clay.”

Some (like myself) found working with clay a meditative experience and more of a full body movement than you would expect. I imagined working with my hands—which were obviously still in use—but found myself engaging my back, quads, calves, forearms, shoulders, and feet.

Mrs. Brkich developed mock businesses with students in Mrs. S’s room. Students designing logos and created mottos or slogans.

Senior Alicia Gaiser learned how to create a business with Ms. Brkich: “she went over having a title, slogan, company colors, and an age group or demographic you want to appeal to. You also had to work with whomever you were sitting with.”

Mrs. Steffes had her workshop in the back of Mrs. Zahn’s room. She had pre-cut small pamphlets—or zines, a mini magazine—and set out collaging materials, handmade stamps, markers, glue, and students were also allowed to roam the room and gather whatever materials they wanted.

Seventh grader Alec Gaydos said, “my favorite thing was making zines with Ms. Steffes because I got to mix random images together—like a crowbar with Batman and a scene from Friday the 13th.”

Mrs. Steffes encouraged full, flowing creativity and instructed students to find the small mark she had made in their zine’s and make something out of it.

Ms. Cleis stationed herself at the front of Ms. Zahn’s room. At the start of the day she had students help her set up her fake foam cake by rolling and laying fondant over it.

Throughout the school day she and students piped buttercream flowers, patterns, and designs onto the three-tier cake.

Eighth grader Lainey York said, “I think it was a lot of fun, and I also think I’m not too good of a cake decorator.”

“A full day of creative workshops, giving students freedom to try different skills, and to see creative careers is so rewarding and beneficial to all students—whether openly artistic or not,” said Mrs. S. about the content of the day.

Career in the Arts day—sponsored by Mrs. S. and Mrs. Zahn—was a great success and a great opportunity to learn about creative career pathways.

As Mrs. Zahn so perfectly put it, “the more we gather the more we grow; there is nothing better than when artists hang out with other artists.”