At Henry P. Becton Regional High School, we celebrate creativity and passion for the arts by taking exciting field trips and proudly showcasing the incredible talents of our students. Our school showcases a dynamic range of artistic talent, from engaging performances to impressive visual works.

Mrs. Dawn Savincki recently brought her art students to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) to explore artistic styles spanning from the late 1800s to the present. One exhibit that stood out to Mrs. Savincki featured the work of Mike Kelley; she noted that “his stuffed animal installation and the works of the Surreal artists” were particularly intriguing. She continues, “One of my goals has been to get to view the Mike Kelley exhibit,” Mrs. Savincki shares, “As simple as it seems, it is pleasing to the eye and has meaning to me. Another major moment was when students would come to me and were able to make a connection between the artist and a project we had done in the past.”

During the visit, students paired up for a scavenger hunt, searching for keywords related to famous sculptors. Many students left inspired, already imagining how the artwork they encountered could influence their future projects.

Senior Aili Tutschek shares that her favorite area was the modern history exhibit. She also liked a piece titled the “Blanche Chair” which was interesting as her class had just finished reading A Streetcar Named Desire. Tutschek vocalized her love for museums, “It’s always enjoyable to visit modern art museums. I feel as though modern art gets underappreciated because many expect it only to be solid colors on a canvas. Modern art covers some of the most famous artists that we learn about in history classes, but many simply put them into a different era other than the modern one.”

Junior Hunter Xie says that his favorite piece to view was “The Starry Night” by Vincent van Gogh, “It’s one of the most well-known paintings in the world. The textures were cool because it was layered.” This trip helped Xie realize that he loved being behind the camera and taking photos more than anything else.

Mrs. Savincki had engaging conversations with students about whether a painting can still be considered the artist’s original if it has been touched up or restored multiple times. Other students drew connections between the artwork at MoMA and their own projects, captivated by “the size and details of certain paintings like Roy Lichtenstein’s pop art, The Starry Night, and The Persistence of Memory,” as Mrs. Savincki shared.

Mrs. Rachel Lennon took her Digital Art class on a trip to the New Jersey Botanical Gardens as part of their Macro Photography unit. She explained that macro photography is “when you use a special lens to photograph objects very up close.” Using macro lenses, students captured detailed images of flowers and nature. To prepare for the trip, the class practiced by taking photos in the fall and later returned in a different season to capture new images for editing and comparison.

Junior Teagan Devoe explains why she enjoyed this unit and trip, “It was very cool because there’s a lot of different flowers in the gardens so it was awesome to see them up close.” Being connected to nature on that day was something she was grateful for as well, “It was relaxing to hear the birds chirping while focusing on taking nice photos. I wasn’t focused on anything but the nature around me.”

Sophomore Lorenna Bucceri was excited to return to the gardens, having also visited in the fall. Her favorite area was the manor, and she appreciated the trip for inspiring “ideas for photos and future concepts I would like to act on.”

The Annual Art Show at Becton Regional High School recently brought together students, families, and community members to celebrate the incredible creativity of young artists. Mrs. Savincki explains, “This show is important because students deserve to have their efforts recognized, and it’s very rewarding to have the parents, school district, and members of the community see what our students have been busy working on throughout the year. This also shows other students and families what the Becton Art Department has to offer.”

Mrs. Lennon reveals that the art department has been planning the show all year, with students and teachers collaborating to select the best artwork for display. The exhibition was open throughout the day and featured a special event in the evening.

Senior Michael Gilbert had four pieces in the art show, and says that his low-poly portrait was his favorite of them all, which he put the most effort and time into. There was no direct inspiration for his art, he explains, as it was the style the class was working on that week with Mrs. Lennon in Digital Art. The piece is made up of small triangles, and Gilbert shares that it was difficult to put together because they struggled to connect in some areas. He was excited that the creation process was over, although he describes it as “fulfilling” because it took him over a week to create.

Freshman Tyde Tallakson proudly participated in the art show with his featured piece, a picture of a man on a road. He explained that his inspiration came from “not knowing where to go.” One challenge he faced was achieving the exact background color he wanted. Since their Digital Art unit involved layering photos, he had to create multiple images before finding the right color. Tallakson felt that creating this piece was a meaningful way to express a personal lesson through art.

Tallakson spends a lot of time doodling in his downtime, “If my NJSLA scrap papers got released, they’d do very well,” he jokes. Tallakson feels that Mrs. Lennon’s class was “really fun, and the projects helped me use Photoshop a lot more.”

Sophomore Jamilah Cotea was pleasantly surprised to have her artwork featured in the show. Her piece—a photo of a squirrel “peeking out of a hole”—captured a charming moment. One of the challenges she faced was adjusting the photo’s contrast using Adobe during their Photography unit. She practiced enhancing the textures of the rocks and the squirrel’s fur while experimenting with contrast. “In my free time, I paint and draw, and I hope to continue exploring photography,” she shares enthusiastically.

Sophomore Ferdinando Morrone also participated in the art show with a piece featuring musician Billy Joel, created to express his love for Joel’s music. “He’s been in my top three since I learned to speak,” Morrone said. After facing a wall of procrastination, he completed the piece spontaneously during an “art rush” over two days, months later. While he didn’t use any new techniques, he enhanced what he already knew, citing “dynamic angles, dramatic lighting, and greater detail.”

“It’s definitely my best pencil artwork yet. But if I had to say, I am very proud of the clothing and the lighting,” Morrone described humbly. He won an award for his artwork with a certificate and a five dollar gift card to Panera Bread.

The biggest event of the year that every art class looks forward to is the Teen Arts Festival. All art classes were invited, with Mrs. Savincki, Mrs. Lennon and Mr. Edward Donovan bringing their art classes along to Bergen Community College where it is held annually. Throughout the day, students are welcome to participate in workshops, meet with professors and roam the campus while observing the expansive activites the day has to offer. The festival holds workshops in visual and performing arts, music, theater, television production, creative writing and dance, and students are also given the opportunity to perform in their workshop to be professionally critiqued.

In her third year attending, Bucceri shares that she went to an art gallery and participated in a jam session, which was new for her! “I enjoyed seeing others’ style and approaches to art,” she divulges. Due to her love for the arts and music, she will be pursuing music after high school.

Sophomore Charlize Chiovitti participated in a mask-making workshop while exploring the event with her sister. Now in her second year attending, she described the art as “incredible as always” and loved the moment when she “saw my framed photo on display!”

Sophomore Justin Cruz, also attending for the second time, spent the day participating in a fashion workshop and watching performances on the college lawn. He described the performances as his favorite part of the day, saying, “I loved seeing the many creative ways students expressed themselves.”

“I enjoy seeing the talent of all the student artists and performers, as well as taking part in some workshops,” Mrs. Savincki shared, having attended the festival since her own time as a student at Becton.

During his three years of attendance, Mr. Donovan has also valued the event. “I have attended workshops at the conference and learned skills that I then bring back to my classes. I know there are many workshops covering topics not yet offered at Becton. Students interested in art and design forms not available here may have the chance to explore them at Teen Arts. The conference is a great opportunity to try new techniques and art styles.”

“I am proud to showcase the wonderful artwork my students create at Becton. I also love seeing their excitement for the arts and their willingness to try new things,” Mrs. Lennon concludes.