Across Alabama, the arts are not widely taught in schools. However, at Reeltown High School, the administration is trying to change that narrative.
Greg Shelton recently became the instructor of RHS’ newest visual arts class, which begins with an introduction to drawing. Students are then divided into groups focusing on photography, acrylic painting, charcoal and colored pencils or pastels.
The students will rotate to different media throughout the semester, which is meant to maximize materials. For example, there’s one camera and it’s a lot easier to share a camera with five people than 25. The rotation also helps students get exposed to multiple types of media.
He said the idea for this art class really originated from the administration, which approached him about teaching the class. It’s partially funded through the Mildred Blount Foundation grant, based out of Tallassee.
The school’s administration applied for and received the grant last year, which allowed Shelton to begin an art club. This year Reeltown was awarded the grant again to be used for the class.
“Administration was pushing for this,” he said. “I was really pleased to find out that was a goal of theirs. If we didn’t have the grant money, it would be hard to do this. (The administration) knew about the art grant, they went to it immediately. There was no dragging of the feet.”
On top of that, students are interested. The class is full with 25 students this semester. Plus, through his own art, Shelton had students showing him their works before Reeltown even had the art class.
Since 1983, Shelton has taught and coached at various schools across the county, but he never thought he would teach art. But after seeing the work of a colored pencil artist, he was inspired.
“I told my wife, ‘I’m headed to Micheal’s’ and she asked me, ‘Do you just want to sit in the parking lot?’ and I said, ‘No, I’m going in this time,’” Shelton recalled. “I bought pencils and a pad and a book that said, ‘How to Draw Anything in 15 Minutes’ and I just haven’t stopped.”
From his own experience, Shelton said he knows some students just need the opportunity to get exposed to art and it could be a love for life.
Part of what he hopes the class provides is a space for the students to display their work publicly. Students’ artwork will be hung along hallways and in the cafeteria so the students can show off their talents.
Shelton said he hopes the class helps some students foster art into a possible career. There are art programs at universities students can get scholarships for and there are artistic career paths that can be viable.
“A lot of what high school is about is kids trying to find out what they are interested in,” Shelton said. “It’s another offering that lets kids dip their toes in something different and see if they like it, see if they are adept at it.”