A Sandcrabs tradition: Seabreeze High School's 'Tradewinds' show to open at OMAM

An opening reception for the exhibit will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, May 9.

By Jarleene Almenas
| 11:00 a.m. May 1, 2024

Seabreeze High School students Raz De Via, Peyton Lilly, Summer Cook, Maya Gonska and Carley Haines showcase their sculptures for the annual "Tradewinds" exhibition at OMAM. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

Seabreeze High School art teacher Christine Colby instructs her students on how to pack their sculptures for the show on May 9. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

Students Raz De Via and Maya Gonska pack their sculptures. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

Carley Haines, Maya Gonska and Raz De Via pack their sculptures for "Tradewinds." Photo by Jarleene Almenas

Over 100 students will have their works showcased at OMAM for the annual "Tradewinds" exhibition. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

Juliet Greenstein and Soleil White work on their art in Kasondra Price's classroom. Courtesy photo

Kalease Heggins and Amira Ferguson work on their art in Kasondra Price's classroom. Courtesy photo

Ormond Beach Observer
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Come next week, art from over 100 Seabreeze High School students will fill the galleries at the Ormond Memorial Art Museum.

The annual "Tradewinds" student exhibition will open with a reception from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, May 9 and run through May 26. Featuring works in various mediums — from ceramics and mixed media to paintings and pencil drawings — OMAM has hosted the exhibit since 1996, both biannually in years past and in its current annual format.

"I think that having art present in our area helps showcase the variety of talents and creativity within our students and helps promote the cultural literacy of Volusia County," said Christine Colby, teacher and the art department chair at Seabreeze High School.

The uniqueness of the show, she said, stems from its origins.

From the student perspective

Seabreeze High School Senior Raz De Via's piece, "Unwanted Dream," is based on a poem.

One, she said, she wrote for her friend who died in the Israeli-Hamas war. The ceramic piece depicts a human face, without eyes because the future cannot be seen, and burnt lips because of the fires caused by the war, De Via said.

"In the show, I will have the poem right next to the piece with it," De Via said.

Freshman Maya Gonska's piece depicts a hand with a paintbrush. She said she was inspired by surrealism and the desire to keep creating.

Her classmate Carly Haines drew inspiration for her piece from the hibiscus flower. The freshman said she's proud to be showcasing her work soon at OMAM.

For Summer Cook, also a freshman at Seabreeze, her piece was inspired by french fries.

"I just decided to let my imagination play a role," Cook said.

So she turned a basket of fries into a basket of fingers.

Freshman Peyton Lilly, who usually creates pencil drawing art, said her piece captured the "desire to want to escape the trap of time and how it's so suffocating because it's impossible to stop."

"I'm pretty proud of it," Lilly said. "This is my first sculpture that I've actually put effort into and it turned out pretty well."

"Tradewinds" was founded in 1964 by her former art teacher at Seabreeze, Nina Masters. At the time, the show was composed of senior works and was exhibited on the school's campus, according to an OMAM press release. The show was then transformed into the "Tradewinds Art Festival" in the 1970s, adding live music, festival T-shirts sporting student designs and the sale of concessions. It became a juried show for students, the first of its kind in Volusia County.

Then in 1996, Masters asked OMAM's then director, Ann Burt, whether the museum would be interested in exhibiting student work. "Tradewinds" has been held at the museum ever since.

"When I spoke with [Master's] daughter last year, she told me how proud she would be if she could see it today," Colby said.

Masters, who taught at Seabreeze from 1963 to 2010, died in 2021.

"Tradewinds is an incredible exhibition every year thanks to the hard work and dedication of the art teachers and their art students," Seabreeze art teacher Bryce Hammond said in a statement to the Observer. "Showcasing student artwork is key to inspiring students to achieve not only creative endeavors, but to inspire reaching goals in all facets of life."

For Colby, it's a joy to see her students take part in "Tradewinds," as she got to experience the sense of accomplishment that came with it when she was a student at Seabreeze. The show takes a lot of work behind-the-scenes to come together, beyond the creation of art. It's giving students an authentic, professional experience within the art field by participating in "Tradewinds," Colby said.

"Art always seems to be regarded as a non-core subject, and I think it has many benefits," Colby said. "I want to promote it in any way I can."

Fellow art teacher Kasondra Price said the "Tradewinds" show is a rewarding experience for students. It's important for students to feel showcased, something that may not happen in other subjects, she said. With art, though, students have visible proof of their labor.

"I think it's important to understand the role that the arts play in our school system still, and to see how hard the kids work and the process and the time that they take to put into their work," Price said.

Price interned under former Seabreeze art teacher Lisa Botkin while in college, and now teaches in the same classroom she said shaped her to become the educator she is today. She seeks to do the same for her students.

"Empowering my students to unlock their artistic potential and grow through their art is one of the most rewarding things as an art teacher," she said.