Learning Art at BHS with Mr. Coles

Ash Merritt
Assistant Editor
  Art is time consuming, whether it be a class that is taken or a hobby that is pursued. Bonneville High School has many art classes available to take, some being Introduction (Intro) to Art, Intermediate Art, Advanced Art, and Digital Photography. In Intro to Art, students use mostly graphite pencils, a bit of interaction with watercolours, and coloured pencils, later they learn about how to achieve different shading by using different textures, such as cloth and fur. While taking intermediate art they use graphite, charcoal, and chalk pastels. In the Advanced Art class, students use the aforementioned mediums and tools, as well as acrylics and oil paints. In the advanced class, art students learn how to create body portraits and how to take good photos with the right lighting. Digital Photography uses cameras and takes pictures to construct art and uses references to form similar pictures.
  Mr. Jason Coles is the teacher who instructs all these different art classes. He explains that he got into art because in his elementary years Coles had worked on drawing when his teachers were reading. He took his first art class in junior high, “I loved it” Coles exclaims. He thought it would be a cool career to have, to teach art.  Coles has taught art classes for 28 years, and he taught 19 of those years at Snake River High School in Blackfoot, afterwards he spent two years in Cascade, Idaho and eight years at Bonneville.
  Coles says he would prefer more time because he has numerous lessons he would like to teach; however, Coles does not have enough time to teach all of the lessons he wants. Only a few classes so far this trimester have least completed one lesson. Intermediate Art, finished their Flag shading project, which is currently hung up in the art room. A project based on learning different angles, light, and different shadows types. Advanced art just finished their “Buddy Portrait” which involves learning camera angles and lights and as well with the models knowing different facial expressions. 
  Art is a time consuming process; however, learning and using different mediums and tools is an experience that not many people choose to pursue. Taking art in levels makes it thus students can learn in increments and use tools that are within that level. Which allows each student to learn and grow in art.

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