Seven U-High students represented Lab in the 2024 Illinois High School Art Exhibition featured at the Bridgeport Art Center. The exhibition opened on March 15 and students from all over Illinois contributed to producing over 1,000 works currently on display.
U-High students Reid Surmeier, design; Eve Dyson, unnamed work; Jashanjeet Gill, video; Margret Yagan, photography; Maxine Hurst, pottery; Jiho Song, mixed media; and Rachel Xiang, painting; had the opportunity to compete for prizes on April 21 at the gallery.
Maxine, a junior, has been creating pottery off and on since she was 8 years old. Last year, Maxine got back into pottery after enrolling in Brian Wildeman’s ceramics class. Maxine created a teapot on the wheel for the exhibition.
“It’s closer to a classic teapot,” Maxine said. “It’s a larger teapot intended for stovetop use. The main body looks like a semicircle and curves up evenly toward the top with a standard handle on the side.”
Reid, a senior who received Best of Show in the design category last year, submitted an ergonomic camera prototype for the Bridgeport Arts Center gallery. He was inspired to create his own idea of a more user-friendly camera after struggling to operate cameras currently on the market.
“I always struggled with the fact that they’re are so many buttons on a camera,” Reid said. “I wanted to create a camera design that simplified all of the elements and was a very streamlined design.”
Reid spent over a year designing and prototyping the camera he eventually submitted to the gallery. For him, the creative process involves a lot of experimentation and willingness to fail.
“One of the things I try to do is fail a lot,” Reid said. “I try to make a lot of bad decisions, and once I’ve made all those bad decisions I can slowly start to understand what works. It comes with a process of constant failure.”
Reid said he is thankful for another opportunity to enter into a space with many other young artists who are producing interesting work. It gives Reid an idea to see what other student artists are creating in the Chicago area.
“I definitely appreciate Mr. Wildeman for believing in me and submitting my work,” Reid said. “I think it’s a great opportunity to meet other people and see what other artists are producing and be around a lot of really cool talent.”
Reid will continue artistic endeavors next year at the Rhode Island School of Design.
Maxine tries to get into the studio three times a week. Pottery is something that brings her joy and is a true hobby: something she does just for herself.
“It’s really nice to have this thing that I do just for fun,” Maxine said. “I started doing pottery with no intention of turning it into anything and I can get recognition for it and say this is a part of me.”
