Sue Sitter/PCT Johnny Skipper, right, points out details in a painted collage titled “Connected in Thought” by Emily Yoder, who looks on. Skipper judged the work of Rugby High School art students at their inaugural student art exhibition on May 18.

Colorful masks and paintings created by Rugby High School art students in Terry Jelsing’s classes starred in the inaugural student art exhibition, held in the school’s new gallery space on May 18.

Jelsing said the gallery resulted from hard work during winter break with the help of student Alex Whorley, plus funding for a lighting system and materials through the Rugby Public School Board.

The project transformed a hallway leading to the art classroom into the gallery with two white raised panels laid over the original cinderblock walls. Next, Jelsing added track lighting on the ceiling to highlight the artwork placed on the panels.

The classes invited the public to its show and served hors ‘d oeuvres and lemonade to its guests.

One wall displayed masks made from a variety of materials with titles ranging from “Return of Thor’s Power” to “Chicken in Space.”

The facing wall held oil paintings and one framed sculpture depicting themes ranging from materialism to freedom.

A darkened room away from the gallery displayed colorful light sculptures with titles such as “Resentful Lime” and “Ntarry Sight,” a wordplay on Van Gough’s “Starry Night.”

A brass ensemble from Kari Hill’s music class added to the arts celebration by playing a selection of tunes for guests to enjoy.

Jelsing praised his students for the growth they showed in their art.

“Thank you for participating and trying really hard,” he said.

“Thank you for coming and helping us celebrate student excellence through the arts and being supportive of the educational environment that makes it possible,” he said to the parents and other guests attending the show.

Jelsing, a past board member of the North Dakota Council on the Arts, retired from his teaching post at Rugby High this year. He received accolades from his students and Johnny Skipper, who will take over as an art instructor for the 2022-23 school year.

“I’m taking over next year for Mr. Jelsing and I’m pretty excited,” Skipper said. “I’ve seen all of his work here and how much he’s guided the students along and everything. If I could even be half as good next year, I’ll be pretty happy.”

Skipper has studied commercial art in colleges located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and Montana.

He said he worked as a paraprofessional at Rugby High before “they approached me about taking over for Mr. Jelsing.”

“I’m pretty confident about next year. I think we’ll have a great year and a great group of students and everyone can learn,” he said. “I’m looking forward to it.”

Skipper served as the show’s judge, selecting four top exhibits.

He told the attendees he chose the top pieces without knowing who had created them.

After offering compliments on all pieces displayed in the show, Skipper pointed out the four he awarded red and blue ribbons. He explained to the group how he judged the pieces for the way they drew a viewer’s eye to all of their elements.

The best in show award, which bore a red ribbon on the wall next to it, went to a mask created by Annie Risovi, a Rugby High junior.

A still life featuring red sneakers, called “Entitled,” painted by senior Anna Bogar; a painted collage on canvas called “Connected in Thought” by Emily Yoder, another senior; and a painting created with metallic materials called “Illuminati” by junior Reese LaRocque each won a blue ribbon in the show.

“I’m really excited and genuinely surprised. I didn’t see that coming,” Risovi said of her best in show award. “There are so many beautiful pieces out there, it’s incredible to think that I won that.”

Risovi’s mask, titled “Bell,” bore a worn, wooden-looking appearance with small eyeholes and a large nose. Its shape curved to draw the viewer’s eye from the bottom right counter-clockwise to the top left. Draped over its top was a swath of dark purple-brown cotton material, also with a worn-out appearance.

“I left a lot up to interpretation,” she said of her mask. “It was inspired by a masquerade ball, but I did my own twist on it with the big nose and the swoop with the hair. I made the hair darker and more straggly to give it that worn look so it’s more mature and like something that could be found in ruins.

“Mr. Jelsing is an incredible teacher,” she added. “He’s probably the wisest person I’ve ever met in my life. He is an amazing artist and he pushed me in the arts.

“When I joined art classes in my freshman year, I didn’t even think art could be my thing at all. I just had extra space in my schedule,” she said. “But now, I couldn’t imagine taking a year of high school without art class. That would be awful.”

Yoder, whose painting also won a prize, said her favorite piece she created was her mask. A bird wing hugged the edge of the face shape and swooped down over the mouth of the piece she named “Silence.”

“This was my favorite class,” she said.

Yoder said she had transferred from Wolford High School to Rugby after Wolford High closed its doors in 2019.

“I’ve loved (art) for years, ever since I came to Rugby,” she said. “I’ve loved art more here because when I was in Wolford, I was only able to do online classes, so having an art room was really nice. Mr. Jelsing’s a great teacher.”

Yoder said she plans to study visual arts at NDSU next year.

“I’m not sure what I’m going to do with it, but I’m going for a career in visual arts,” she said.

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