Barrington High School's AP art program was truly a catalyst for my thirst for art. The teachers are very passionate about what they do. The program encourages creativity, and there are no boundaries to what a student can do conceptually; even in the simplest technical assignment, creativity and thought are emphasized. No teacher tried to mold me into his or her perception of what an art student should be. But this is not to say that the course was completely based on idea over substance! It was a very rigorous course -- both in terms of requiring thought and technical quality. We had constant critiques, a visit by an art therapist, and many field trips to museums and galleries. A minimum of 20-30 pieces were required each semester. Out-of-class work was obvious; art was life. Thus, over the two-year period, I created more than 100 pieces, from which I chose the best to submit for Section I and Section III of the AP portfolio.

This mixed-media drawing was one of six "Quality" pieces (submitted for Section I of the portfolio). All six of the pieces were drawn from life (I almost never work from pictures; you don't learn much from copying). I tried to capture the essence of my room, the feelings of the contrasting shadows and light. It is a simple piece. I was experimenting with wet pastels and ink on velour board. I really liked the way the colors bled into the board, leaving the room with a soft, hazy effect.

The AP class was most rewarding my senior year, when I worked on my Concentration (Section II), which dealt with my understandings of faith in "matter vs. myth." In this intimate project, I tried to express my confusion, despair, love, and hope through archetypal images. As time passed, I think I reached a higher awareness of my self. The tight, controlled lines turned into loose washes of blues and golds. I must confess that my readings of Jung, Camus, and Tolstoy in my AP English Literature class and my studying of Byzantine and other art periods in my AP History of Art class buttressed my concentration. Ironically, the fact that my religion, Islam, frowns upon pictorial images became yet another stimulus in this project.

Finally, I'd like to say with sincerity that some people may think that "AP" is just a label, or just a little more work; the AP program at my school unified my classes as we strived to do the best that we could. I learned to integrate my extra-curricular activities (Amnesty International president, literary magazine editor, etc.), my "academics," and art. Though it boiled down to the teachers, the well-rounded art program prepared me well for the deadlines and expectations of college -- and, well, maybe even for life!