This spring, State High students traveled to Washington D.C. for an art focused field trip, visiting places like the National Gallery of Art, the Botanical Gardens, and more. From experiencing the scale of the art to building a stronger sense of community, both students and teachers agreed the trip offered something that can’t always be found inside a classroom.
Senior Lily Corvin shared that her favorite part of the trip wasn’t inside a museum at all.
“My favorite part of the trip to DC was going to the Botanical Gardens. I really liked getting to see the variety of nature that was there,” Corvin said.
On the other hand, senior Mateo Soto found his favorite moment back inside the galleries.
“Honestly my favorite part of the trip to DC was getting interviewed at the National Gallery of Art. It was a really cool experience. If I had to pick a second favorite, it would be the Basquiat exhibit, it was really awesome at Hirshhorn,” Soto said.
For both students and teachers, seeing art in person had a powerful impact on creativity.
“These art trips definitely inspire me creatively. I like drawing in my free time and I definitely saw some things that inspired me that I wanted to try out as well,” Soto said.
Corvin agreed. “Going through the museums on these trips inspires me to try different styles of art,” Corvin said.
Art teachers Maure Irwin-Furmanek and Danielle Crowe also stressed the importance of seeing art up close.
“I think the scale of art can’t be replicated, and the scale has an impact on your experience,” Crowe said. “Today I was super aware of surface textures as well and you can’t see that in a projected image.”
Irwin-Furmanek agreed, adding that the trip sparked ideas for both students and teachers.
“For me it’s very inspiring to see all of the different art and it kind of gives you ideas, working with students,” Irwin-Furmanek said. “Earlier when I was at the National Gallery of Art, I was thinking about how I had to suck it all in because we aren’t able to go back and forth. I think that kids who live in a city have a little bit of an advantage in that way, that they have all of this at their fingertips, and we have some things, but not as much. It would be nice to be able to do more.”
Beyond creativity, these trips also help students gain personal skills that can’t always be taught in class.
“At the museums, there was a lot of information about the artists themselves rather than just about the art. It was interesting to learn about the artists’ backgrounds and how that shows up in their art,” Soto said.
“These trips give students a sense of freedom to be in a city like DC or NYC, navigating on their own through the museums but also just the city itself,” Irwin-Furmanek said.
“On this particular trip we sent selfies in a group chat every few hours and I think seeing where everyone was, even just that, was definitely building community. For the most part, people who come on these trips are here to see art and to share that passion together, so it helps people meet others with similar interests,” Soto said.
Teacher Danielle Crowe also highlighted how getting outside the building helps.
“Traveling and getting out of the school together is good for community, and community is good for everything,” Crowe said.
Memories from these trips stick with students and teachers alike.
“One whole floor of the Hirshhorn museum was these Brazilian graffiti artists, and it was their first American exhibit, the largest collection of their work. I’ve not seen that regard given to graffiti artists before, and I loved that graffiti art is getting a museum moment,” Crowe said.
Irwin-Furmanek agreed, recalling how much the surroundings themselves added to the experience.
“I really enjoyed the National Museum of Modern Art. Hirshhorn was a really cool museum with great exhibits, and I wasn’t expecting that. Also the architecture of the buildings themselves, and the trees and the plants all around the museums, it was just beautiful,” she said.
Even after returning to State College, the trip made students feel differently about their own art making.
“The art trips always make me want to try new things and they really encourage me to make more art,” Corvin said.
“I think seeing more abstract stuff and even some of the stuff that is made like 3D models made me want to try being a little more abstract, I always just draw nature and stuff,” Soto said.
While planning trips like these isn’t always easy, the teachers say it’s worth it.
“There’s a lot of paperwork but I think we do pretty good. This year when deciding where we wanted to go, we took a vote on a Google form. In the past we had been going to NYC every year,” Irwin-Furmanek said.
Crowe added that communicating with transportation and making sure students are informed during the trip can be a challenge, but that student Emma Chen’s idea to send photos in a GroupMe made a big difference.
“It was so helpful to just see everybody a couple times during the day without having to walk back to the bus. We are also going to put the photos in a slideshow which will be nice for everyone to have,” Crowe said.
If students could plan the next trip, many already have ideas.
“Going to D.C. was probably my favorite art trip. It was way less stressful than New York, which is where we went last year,” Corvin said.
Soto said he’d like to revisit old favorites, or explore somewhere new.
“During my sophomore year of high school, I went on an art trip to NYC. I love New York and I go there a lot so it would be nice to go back. Also, Pittsburgh. I just love Pittsburgh in general and there’s a lot of interesting art there that I know for a fact is held in Pittsburgh so it would be nice to see it,” Soto said.
At the end of the day, both teachers and students agreed that seeing art in person, getting inspired, and making memories together is worth every bit of effort it takes to plan these trips.
“I enjoy every field trip, even little ones,” Crowe said. “They’re good for strengthening community and I think that community is healthy for everyone when making art together.”
