French 4 Final Project
What do the Louvre, the Palace of Versailles and French teacher Karen Gossmann's classroom have in common? Well, not much, except the numerous paintings that line the ceilings. If one were to look up at the colorful roof of the French classroom, they would see a collection of strange, funny and picturesque scenes painted by students in the past… and present.
"As a final project for fourth year [students who have been in French class all four years], my students leave something behind for us to remember them by," said Gossmann. "They choose something French that we've either done or that they've liked, and they paint a tile."
Looking up, one can see about six years worth of murals and obscure French references dotting the ceiling in the room. On one side, a beautiful landscape… on another side, a fish in a bathtub, labeled "Le Fishe" underneath it.
While many of these are from past students, four new tiles are set to go up on the ceiling this year. Seniors Lily Saylor, James LeClerc and Nedgie Cajuste, and junior Kaina Severin are the four painting and creating their tiles to perfection-- each tile a representation of who they are and their experiences with French-related topics.
For Saylor, her tile is a recollection of an unforgettable trip.
"I am recreating a picture that I took when I went to France over the summer," said Saylor. "I thought it was really pretty, and I wanted to recreate it because it was one of my favorite memories when I went to France."
Senior James LeClerc painting his ceiling tile
Photo by Lily Saylor
The picture Saylor recreated is one out of a postcard; it is a scene looking from a stone window, overlooking a clear vista of hills and ocean. It tells a tale of a summer well spent, full of adventure and breathtaking views.
As for LeClerc, he took his love for a show and turned it into a cool visual.
"There's a show I like, Arcane," said LeClerc. "It's based off a studio in France that made it, so I decided to put that on the tile."
Not only is the show that LeClerc is referencing from France, but the show has many French-influences in it as well. For example, from the show, the fictional city of "Piltover" has both Art Deco and Art Nouveau motifs-- both of which are artistic and architectural movements that came from France in the early 20th century. It also has a uniquely steampunk vibe, an aesthetic usually associated with Victorian-era France.
As the rest of the fourth year French students get ready to put their tiles on the ceiling, Gossmann uses this time to reflect on the past and the future.
"People walk in my room and they enjoy the ceilings, because European buildings in particular, the ceilings are painted as well as the walls," said Gossmann. "They [the tiles] serve as a memory of each student."
Story by Cameron Haughawout