Advanced Placement Art students from Victor J. Andrew High School dove into a world of creativity and collaboration at Moraine Valley Community College, where they joined multimedia artist Siri Stensberg for a hands-on Installation Workshop. The session offered students a rare chance to work directly with an accomplished artist, exploring new materials and techniques to help bring their own visions to life.

Dan Jarvis, art gallery coordinator at Moraine Valley Fine and Performing Arts Center, invited art students to the workshop where Stensberg shared her artistic process with students and guided them through creating 3D elements included in the final exhibition. Stensberg repurposes broken and found elements to create an experience for the viewer. 

Stensber discussed her intent on creating an experience like "walking through a painting." Through repetition, light, and reflection, she juxtaposes everyday objects to bring attention to "something being so visible it becomes invisible." 

When discussing Siri's work, senior Kristenmel Adanza commented that the installation was like "walking through the city." 

Andrew Art teacher Kerrie Klitz said, “This was a great opportunity for students to work with a professional artist and experience her process firsthand. Students were so inspired that they plan on including some of the techniques learned in their own portfolio creation.”

Senior T-Bolt Avery Santiago said, “The installation workshop helped me further research my ideas of movement through art. Stensberg’s installation showed me the importance of different textures and mediums. I intend to use these techniques to remind myself that even the smallest things added can make a difference in your work.”

Senior student-artist Kristenmel Adanza said, “Siri Stensberg's Installation Workshop was inspiring as an artist -- being able to stroll through a piece instead of focusing on one single picture encouraged me to think about my own work based on not only the relationship I have with it but the relationship it could have with the viewer. As someone tethered to logical reasoning, it can be hard to surpass those thoughts and break out of my comfort zone in order to achieve the feeling I want my art to emanate instead of just the aesthetic surface.”

Students were also given a tour of the facilities at Moraine Valley.