Vote | Pomfret's Blog - Coed School CT

Vote

Students featured in community art show.

Why do you vote? Students in Honors Photography: Portfolio Build, Advanced Photography: Master Portfolio, and Digital Graphics I and II answered this question through their art. While most of them are not even old enough to vote, this did not stop them from sharing their opinions on issues that are on ballots across the country this November and the importance of voting.

The project was inspired by Silver Circle Gallery, a local art gallery in the nearby town of Putnam. The exhibit Every Vote Counts: Why I Vote asked high school students and local artists to submit pieces that express the passion behind their politics. The show was inspired and co-hosted by Your Vote Counts CT, a grassroots civic action group whose goal is to educate and engage local and regional voters, encourage participation in the democratic process, and raise political awareness — especially among younger and first-time voters.

Most students focused on universal issues such as human rights or the environment, while others illustrated the importance of making your voice heard on Election Day. “Creative projects allow students to express themselves and their views through their imagination and take on the creative journey and process,” shared Digital Arts Teacher Anthony Foronda. “The students were compelled to make statements that were honest views of their beliefs.”

*(Left) Senior Rishi Sura-Collins' digital arts piece and (right) Senior Marcos Lo's photography piece.*

Students in the digital arts class used Adobe Photoshop to create photo composites and Adobe Illustrator to create original illustrations. Rishi Sura-Collins ’23 wanted a modern, graphical art piece. “My inspiration was from murals I saw in New York City and Austin, Texas. I used images of random murals and mixed them together to create an equal balance, flow, and color scheme,” he shared. Most of the photography students captured original photos and added text in Adobe Photoshop. “I thought it would be meaningful to crumple up the paper and rip it in half to show that society is unequal,” explained Marcus Lo ’23. “I added a statistic and used first-person language to make it more persuasive.”

“I was amazed at the students’ response to the call for artwork. The things they were thinking and cared about was a really wide scope,” shared Gallery Director Lisa Andrews. “Some of their pieces showed that voting doesn’t have to be about politics, it can be about the future of our country and planet.”