Students’ artwork lined tables and walls in the Los Altos High School cafeteria Sunday, November 4, at a gallery event hosted by LAHS’s National Art Honor Society (NAHS). Accompanied by snacks and live music, patrons bustled through the room, free to view and purchase the art for sale and help fund the LAHS arts program. Small, lower-priced items such as holiday cards and mini canvases were also offered.
The work behind the scenes of this event was more complicated than appearances may suggest; in the months leading up to it, NAHS ran into unprecedented obstacles. In the past, half the profit from the event went to the club and half directly to artists. Due to new ASB guidelines, however, all the profits had to go toward the NAHS fund for future events and activities. This change posed a new challenge, as fewer artists were interested in submitting their art for no pay.
“We’ve had so much back and forth on whether to actually hold the auction or not because people were very hesitant to bring in their art,” NAHS President junior Sarah Ang said. “We give a huge thank you to everyone who chose to sell their art for no personal benefit.”
A notice the same week that the Student Union Building was not available anymore brought the event to the cafeteria. Preparation for the exhibition was an all-hands-on-deck process that included layout, decoration and matting (mounting the border that frames a piece). A combination of these factors made the production a time crunch for students. NAHS club advisor and LAHS art teacher, Christine An, prefers having options for event locations as well as ample time to set up.
“We need appropriate space for student art exhibitions throughout the year,” An said. “Usually, we only get one class period to set up the art and try to do that with the respect it deserves instead of throwing it together. Plus, we’d ideally be able to accept more students’ work instead of a select few.”
NAHS member senior Blaise Wang noted that last year’s exhibition, which was held at the Los Altos History Museum, was more profitable.
“We weren’t able to sell as many pieces this year in the cafeteria because the visitors were limited to parents and students versus all the Los Altos locals downtown,” Blaise said.
An hopes for clear communication on ASB club fundraising guidelines in the future to avoid hindering event planning.
“We’re trying to follow guidelines legally as always, but now there are sudden guideline changes that we weren’t informed about at all,” An said. “When we submitted a form for an activity or fundraising for approval, we would get rejected every single time and we were given inconsistent reasons.”
Although hosting this year’s exhibition was stressful, NAHS member Emilie Pearce emphasizes the benefits to the artists and the LAHS community that make it worth it.
“The exhibition puts a spotlight on each student and gives them recognition for their work,” Pearce said. “It’s also a way for people to come together to appreciate, talk, and look at art together.”
