FOR THE LOVE OF THE ARTS
I thought it best to depict Mary looking out from a boat on a journey in a dark ocean ; she is not interfering with the tide of the ocean but rather she is a beacon of inspiration who always watches over the people on the boat throughout the journey .”
— Joshua Nieto ’ 24
Discovering Traditional and Digital Art
When moving into his office , new Fordham Prep president Anthony Day was eager to decorate it with studentproduced pieces . So , he took a walk to the art studio on the third floor . There he found an overflow of artwork left behind by former and current students .
While picking out a few pieces to have framed for his office , Day remembers art teacher Michael Weldon ’ 86 pointing out a student walking by the classroom , Joshua Nieto ’ 24 .
“ We spoke briefly about his art and he told me he ’ d like to create a piece for my office ,” said Day . Nieto , who specializes in graphite drawings , sent Day a few samples of his work via email and they agreed he would create a commissioned rendition of a ram for the President ’ s Office .
Day has amassed quite a few pieces for his office walls while perusing the art classroom . “ If [ the ram ] doesn ’ t fit in the remaining space , we can hang it somewhere in the building for everyone to enjoy ,” Day said , smiling .
While drawing comes naturally to some , many are moved to discover the medium in alternate ways . “ I started drawing to pass the time during COVID ,” said Aden Bedford ’ 24 , who creates portraits of his friends and family . His extensive art portfolio includes self-portraits , drawings of siblings , and more .
TOP LEFT : A drawing by Joshua Nieto for the 2023 Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception Mass booklet cover .
TOP RIGHT : Aden Bedford ’ 24 ’ s self-portrait .
MIDDLE RIGHT : Fr . Fitzpatrick ( RIP ), former Prep counselor and art history teacher , in the Prep ’ s Art Reference Room .
BOTTOM RIGHT : Comic by Ethan Chen ’ 25 and Haralamby Mila-Rus ’ 25 in Volume III Issue of The Rampart .
Courses at Fordham Prep such as AP 2-D Art & Design and Computer Graphics & Web Design give students like Nieto and Bedford a chance to refine their art skills in the classroom . Outside of the classroom , students are forging their own opportunities to explore visual art in co-curriculars like the Newspaper Club .
Ethan Chen ’ 25 joined the Newspaper Club this school year and decided to try something new with The Rampart , helping to produce the first-ever comic for the issue alongside fellow Ram Haralamby Mila-Rus ’ 25 .
“ I ’ ve been drawing comics since about first or second grade ,” Chen stated . He was a bit on the fence about putting his work out for the community to see , but being able to create the comic with a friend made the experience less daunting .
“ I was pretty nervous about it , but since I did this with a friend it gave me more confidence to put myself out there ,” Chen noted . The resulting piece was inspired by criticisms the students had during orientation regarding the new bell schedule and the effects of inflation on the price of food in Moglia Commons .
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FORDHAM PREP RAMVIEW