News Detail
Laura Godwin '10: "The Arts, My Outlet and Inspiration"
Laura Godwin '10 reflects on her experience with the arts at Trinity.
The first time I had my foot on the pedal and my hands on the wheel I wasn't in a car. I was eleven at summer camp in the basement of an academic hall at the school I would eventually call my alma mater. The counselors had just taught us how to mold the hunk of clay into a cone and were teaching us how to center it on the pottery wheel. I had always loved art, but this was my first opportunity to dabble in ceramics. Looking back at this moment, I had no way of knowing that art, specifically ceramics, would become a central part of my story.
When I went to sign up for classes as a freshman, my advisor suggested I take Intro to Art and Design Fundamentals, just in case I wanted to take other art classes later. My dad scoffed at the idea but didn't make anything of it after the meeting. My advisor knew before I did that art would become a passion and allow me to find some purpose in high school. For the next four years, I spent long hours in the ceramics studio throwing pots, building boxes, and learning about the clean water crisis.
Art became my outlet, my solace. In the tiny ceramics studio with my 12 person "family", I was able to share the struggles of high school, learn how to accept and give constructive feedback, and be inspired by more than a textbook. As I watched my public school peers fight to keep art class in their schedules, I became even more grateful for my independent school education. My advisors never asked me to choose between art and something else. My teachers allowed me to spend free periods and afternoons in the studio finishing my IB project. My parents encouraged me to treat art like math and science and english. Art was an essential part of my education.
Since joining the VAIS staff, I have had the privilege of joining teams for accreditation visits. When we walk into the schools, I have an overwhelming sense of joy when I see student art displayed on walls, in libraries, and even in classrooms. I always try to find time to make my way to an art class to witness creativity firsthand. The work that happens in the art rooms at VAIS schools is exceptional. In art rooms, schools celebrate creativity and individuality. Students are able to study different cultures and learn about people halfway around the world. What was once seen as different is now seen as unique and inspiring. Art allows people to look beyond themselves, struggle together, and create something meaningful.
At this year's Second Annual VAIS Festival of the Arts hosted by Fredericksburg Academy, I watched students use words, notes, and paint to express themselves. While we had students from 13 different schools, once they sat down with a ukulele or made their way to a stage, they were students celebrating art together. It's inspiring to see students try something new or share their passion
with others. The celebration of art encourages me to keep creating, keep learning, and keep celebrating others like the art teachers doing inspirational work in our 95 schools.
This article, "The Arts, My Outlet and Inspiration," was written by Laura Godwin '10, Assistant Director of Accreditation and Statistical Analysis at VAIS, and was originally published in the VAIS Vision e-Magazine. It was reprinted with permission from VAIS.
This article, "The Arts, My Outlet and Inspiration," was written by Laura Godwin '10, Assistant Director of Accreditation and Statistical Analysis at VAIS, and was originally published in the VAIS Vision e-Magazine. It was reprinted with permission from VAIS.
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