Art students hang original work at district office

JOHNSONVILLE - When the Family Service Center for Florence District Five Schools was opened there was a particular place in the reception area that needed a special piece of artwork.
The staff looked long and hard at pictures, trying to find just the right piece for that space. In all their searching, they did not find anything to suit their fancy. Since the building was to serve the students and the community, they decided they wanted something to project that idea. It was then that they turned to Susan Wallace, the art teacher at Johnsonville High School and “dumped” the idea in her lap. The completed piece of art was hung just prior to the end of school.
It wasn’t a chore for Wallace.
From her home in Lake City last week, she said the project was a labor of love for her and the many students who worked on it over a period of three years. She didn’t want something for just a few exceptional students to work on, but rather, the entire art class. She scouted everywhere for ideas. Finally, she saw a piece of artwork at a show in Lake City and the idea was born. She expected the project to take six weeks. Instead, it took three years for completion of the project and to have it hung. She didn’t realize how time consuming it would be.
Wallace estimated that at least 150 students worked on the project from beginning to completion. Some have graduated and gone on to other pursuits. A few students who worked on the project have passed away, including Christy Lungford, Chelsea Tanner, Amy Timmons, Chelsea Baggett and Spencer Hanna, but these are memorialized on the piece, which is of great sentimental value to the students. Their names are on a book of remembrance with a white dove overhead.
Wallace designed the piece in the shape of the state. She said, “I wanted it to represent the school district and the community and it was the students of the community who did the work.”
She asked the students to make a list of things they thought important and which should be included in the work. Many wanted to include their church and that speaks so highly of them. We couldn’t possibly include all the churches, so we compromised by using a figure of Jesus praying, which is such a big part of their lives.
“The first actual part of the work was to get the design or shape. A super craftsman with woodwork, [Principal Jim] Mr. Berry cut the design of the state from plywood for us. The students then collected the designs of items to be included. They drew some and others they cut from magazines or other publications. We had to reduce or enlarge them to suitable sizes for the work. They then rolled out the clay and cut each design with an Exacta knife. Each piece was allowed to dry for at least a week after which they were fired in a kiln. They were then painted with under-glaze. The painting was a delicate process using numerous colors on many pieces.”
“After applying three layers of the colored under glaze, they were fired again. The students then applied two or three coats of clear glaze (top coat) and they were fired a third time. We kept the pieces in a box for a very long time. We also made filler pieces of tile in three shades of blue and there were children who specifically made these pieces.
“It was like a puzzle, placing the items around where they would fit, then filling in with grout and the blue tiles. There were also minute pieces made to provide a gold and black striped border.”
The center focus is a large Palmetto, the state tree, with a Flashes emblem across the trunk. There is a replica of each school in the district and the District Office. Ella Claire Chandler painted the brick on each of these buildings and the work is simply outstanding. There is a handprint of the superintendent and each principal with their name thereon. Included is a replica of a class ring with the standard emblem. Signifying the state are Carolina wren, Carolina moon and Carolina jasmine.
In recognition of the school district are the Sparkletones, beauty queens, graduates in cap and gowns, school bus, clock with the hour of 8 am denoting the time the school day begins, a #2 pencil, crayons, cafeteria with dining area, football with athletes in uniform, JROTC members, a saxophone, Sparks (at the El. School) and more.
The community interests include a red pickup, racecar, McDonalds w/a bag of fries, boat, cotton boll, tobacco, deer, travel (Eiffel Tower), Christmas tree, Boykin spaniel, boy and girl scouts, golf ball and club and more.
As a result of the successful completion of this project, the School Board voted at their last meeting to purchase a new electric kiln for the art department. The art department has also been extended from a two period program to a four period program and there are 100 students registered in the program for the 2008-2009 school year. There are many other symbols included, too many to mention.
It is expected that a project on a smaller scale will be designed for each school and the district office in the future.
In the meantime, the community is invited to drop in at the family service center and share in the beauty of this accomplishment of the art department.