ROCHELLE — At the Northern Illinois Big-12 Conference Art Show March 4, RTHS sophomore Tori Swift won first place for her Photography-Altered piece she calls, ‘Gone Up in Flames’, which explains her technique. Tori chose a negative left from last year’s photography classes and decided to alter it with a flame under the supervision of Photography instructor Beth Mock.
Victoria said after burning it, she printed the original photo and used it to print her negative photo. “I really like how the burn effect looks; the contrast between the burn and the tree makes the photo eye-catching.” In fact, one of the judges who chose the photo for first place honors remarked to Victoria that she found it arresting.
She used the classroom assignment to reinterpret a life lesson.
“I had been going through a lot. Metaphorically my life had gone up in flames,” she said. “I reflected this by burning the majority of the photo, leaving only the main subject. Damaging the negative or adding other effects can change the meaning of a photograph.”

On the other side of her struggle Victoria found wisdom and perspective.
Senior Owen Male’s printmaking piece is called, ‘Blink’. Taking the college level AP Studio Art, Owen’s piece is a part of his yearlong series. It reflects a scene, “in my developing story when the woman finds her ‘familiar’ after his (the cat she befriended) eyes were stolen,” he explained. “The connection between them was so strong and significant that once her cat’s eyes were stolen, her own eyesight vanished (an empathetic ailment).
The rips and tears represent the broken feeling they experienced after this traumatic event.”
View Owen’s entire series at the Senior Arts Showcase April 26 in the Library-Media Center, 6 to 7 p.m.
Senior Jovanna DeLaTorre’s piece is called ‘Resilient’, which contrasts emotion. “The makeup and pose express sadness and hurt while the model’s expression is strong and fearless,” she explained. Jovanna chose the black and white striped background to underscore the contrast.
Other artists competing at the conference show: Michael Drendel, Lexy LeMar, Aliyah Stinnett, Taylor Nobles, Mario Rocha, Hayley Lehuta, Camryn Turner, Damesis Carrillo-Valdez, and Alva Valle.
As you view their works on display in the Art hall, please take time to read the artist statements which describe both the concept and the process employed.