Within the walls of Ripon High we have many outstanding artists and their creativity has no bounds. On March 12, 2025, a captivating gallery unfolded, welcoming visitors from the community to explore the endless imagination and creativity in the work of young creators. Many clubs and art programs participated such as choir, orchestra, jazz band and Rock and Roll Club. A special guest was also welcomed!
This was the 9th annual Gallery of the Arts and was organized and put together by RHS’ art teachers, Miss Sydney Castle and Mr. William Bowers, along with Phillip Fiorio, performing arts teacher and seniors Gia and Sofia Grewal. A lot went into the planning of this event to make it successful. Bowers and Castle took and collected art pieces from their current students and prepared them to be put up. Art pieces from students who don’t take art or pieces made at home were also accepted. Fiorio and his classes practiced their songs, and Rock and Roll Club did the same. Poems were also encouraged to be entered, as they are a way of expressing, just like art. Many poems were put up for visitors to read.
Gia Grewal, entered artwork she created at home and also poems. This year she showed a big beautiful canvas, culturally inspired and it was displayed in the entrance.
“I worked really hard on them [art pieces] and put in a lot of effort into them,” Gia Grewal stated. “Seeing them being presented at the gallery, especially in the center, it made me feel really proud.”
Gia not only organized and displayed her work, she also read a poem of hers titled, “I Hate the Beach.” She did an amazing job being the only performing poet and intrigued the audience as she had a strong and confident voice reading an outstanding poem.
The performing arts classes performed multiple songs and the jazz band performed as people walked around and admired the art pieces. Advanced choir performed two songs, one was conducted by senior, Chetan Harvey, and was more of a sentimental piece. The Rock and Roll Club sang and played three songs. They all did an amazing job and the audience enjoyed hearing everyone.
The special guest of the night was artist Kyle Silligman. He paints many landscapes and their beauty or how he views them. Silligman paints his experiences and nature and its current disrupted conditions. At the gallery, he and Castle went onto the stage to answer some questions. He shared his experiences going through art school and being an artist in today’s world. Silligman also stated that art has no boundaries and to be creative and experiment when creating pieces. He was a great guest, letting our young artists know to continue and not give up and not to listen to those bringing artwork down.
At the end three artists and a poet were awarded. The only poet who performed a piece was Gia Grewal and she won in that category. In third place for art was freshman Emiley Wang, and Mackenzie Breunig, junior, was second place. In first place for the second year in a row was senior, Jada Yapp.
“I felt very proud knowing that my art and talent is being recognized by other people outside the art community,” Yapp stated. “ It was really motivating for me.”
The gallery was such a great and successful event. Many artists came to see their artwork displayed and others from the community came to support the upcoming artists. It was organized and planned very well. We hope there are more to come, and you can come support the artists next year!
