{"id":298,"date":"2007-12-05T18:39:00","date_gmt":"2007-12-05T18:39:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.johnokeefe.net\/blog\/?p=298"},"modified":"2023-02-01T19:09:31","modified_gmt":"2023-02-01T19:09:31","slug":"1980s-john-okeefe-jr-middle-and-high-school-art","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.johnokeefe.net\/blog\/2007\/12\/05\/1980s-john-okeefe-jr-middle-and-high-school-art\/","title":{"rendered":"Middle and High School Art (1980’s)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Middle School Art Classes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Throughout middle school, I absorbed every art class. The exercises were beneficial and taught me new ways to express myself through art. My artwork significantly improved after attending those classes. I started developing a reputation in school for my drawing ability.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Middle
“King Tut Sarcophagus – View 1”<\/em><\/strong>
Ceramic,
John O’Keefe Jr.,
1981 (11 years old)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
\n
\"Middle
“King Tut Sarcophagus – View 2”<\/em><\/strong>
Ceramic,
John O’Keefe Jr.,
1981 (11 years old)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
\n\n\n
\n
\"Middle
“Hand Study”<\/em><\/strong>
Pencil on Paper,
John O’Keefe Jr.,
1981-83 (11-13 years old)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
\n
\"Middle
“Shading Study”<\/em><\/strong>
Pencil on Paper,
John O’Keefe Jr.,
1981-83 (11-13 years old)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
\n
\"Middle
“Abstract Study”<\/em><\/strong>
Pencil on Paper,
John O’Keefe Jr.,
1981-83 (11-13 years old)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
\n
\"Middle
“Watercolor Study”<\/em><\/strong>
Watercolor on Paper,
John O’Keefe Jr.,
1981-83 (11-13 years old)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
\n
\"Middle
“The Samurai – Pastel Study”<\/em><\/strong>
Pastel on Paper,
John O’Keefe Jr.,
1983 (13 years old)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
\n
\"Middle
“Paper Bag Study”<\/em><\/strong>
Pencil on Paper,
John O’Keefe Jr.,
1985 (15 years old)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Art Projects Turned Reality<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"John
“Tree Castle”<\/em><\/strong>
Pen & Ink on Paper,
John O’Keefe Jr.,
1984 (13 years old)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
\n
\"John
“Tree Fort”<\/em><\/strong>
Pen & Ink on Paper,
John O’Keefe Jr.,
1984 (13 years old)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

I took my love of model building and decided to build a real tree fort. When it was completed the structure spanned 3 trees, and it had three stories in the middle section. It had a prison, a draw-bridge, 6 rooms, and a lookout platform 20 feet up. We built a pulley-system to transport supplies from one section to another section. All the materials were scavenged from the local dump and scoured the area for plywood, lumber, rope, and even nails. It was quite a project.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"John
“Tree Fort – View 1”<\/em><\/strong>
Tree Fort,
(…before drawbridge added)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
\n
\"John
“Tree Fort – View 2”<\/em><\/strong>
Drawbridge connecting main and second sections
(…before prison and third section added)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

It took the neighborhood gang a few years to complete. There was probably about a dozen kids from the neighborhood who helped build this monster. No adults were involved – This was 100% kid made! In the end, my mother’s home-owners insurance company said that the tree fort must come down or they would cancel her policy. That was a sad day for all the kids who helped build it. These are the only surviving pictures of the tree fort of all tree forts, and it was only about half made in these pictures.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"John
“Tree Fort – View 3”<\/em><\/strong>
My brother (far left) and some of the
neighborhood gang standing on the draw-bridge.
(Second story prison level eventually added where
sloping roof is located at left)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

More Art Project Turned Reality<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A constant theme during my middle school years was that my drawings reflected my other interests. Around this time I had an interest in BMX bikes and freestyle riding which you can see reflected in these next drawings.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"John
“Freestyling”<\/em><\/strong>
Pencil on Paper,
John O’Keefe Jr.,
1984 (14 years old)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
\n
\"John
“Freestyling”<\/em><\/strong>
Pencil on Paper,
John O’Keefe Jr.,
1984 (14 years old)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

High School Art Classes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In high school, my love of drawing was rekindled. I benefited greatly from the more advanced instruction given in the high school art program, and this can be seen in these next examples.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Middle
“Fishing Reel”<\/strong><\/em>
Pencil on Paper,
John O’Keefe Jr.,
1985 (15 years old)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
\n
\"Middle
“Model-A”<\/em><\/strong>
Pencil on Paper,
John O’Keefe Jr.,
1985-86 (15 years old)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
\n
\"Middle
“Car Wreck”<\/strong><\/em>
Pen & Ink on Paper,
John O’Keefe Jr.,
1985-86 (15 years old)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
\n
\"Middle
“Prairie Chicken”<\/em><\/strong>
Watercolor on Paper,
John O’Keefe Jr.,
1986 (16 years old)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
\n
\"Middle
“Run Down House”<\/em><\/strong>
Pen & Ink on Paper,
John O’Keefe Jr.,
1987 (17 years old)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
\n
\"Middle
“The Ship”<\/em><\/strong>
Pencil on Paper,
John O’Keefe Jr.,
1988 (18 years old)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Middle School Art Classes Throughout middle school, I absorbed every art class. The exercises were beneficial and taught me new ways to express myself through art. My artwork significantly improved after attending those classes. I started developing a reputation in … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[15],"tags":[30,50,51,47,49],"yoast_head":"\nMiddle and High School Art (1980's)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Throughout middle school, I absorbed every art class. 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While I am comfortable working in most mediums, I specialize in landscape oil painting, similar to the famous Hudson River School and Victorian-era artists. ART IN MY EARLY LIFE Like every other artist, I have loved viewing and creating art for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I always drew with pencils, colored pencils, watercolors, and just about every medium I could get my hands on. I received formal art training during my primary school years. When attending elementary school, I received specialized training at the Paier College of Art in New Haven, Connecticut. The first formal recognition of my artistic ability happened in elementary school when I won an award, placing me in the top five of a statewide student art competition. During my middle school years, I was invited to attend college-level art classes one day a week at the University of Bridgeport, Connecticut. Also, during this time, I studied watercolor painting with Connecticut artist Kathy Singer. However, my most beloved art teacher was my Aunt Ann Fucich, who instilled in me a love of art when I was a small child. John O'Keefe posing with a drawing outside of the Museum of Natural History in Manhattan, New York, when he was seven years old Outside the Museum of Natural History (NYC) at 7 Years Old. (My Aunt Ann Fucich took pictures) My love for art led me to seek a career in mechanical drafting. As new technologies emerged, I advanced to more sophisticated 3D CAD modeling systems, new product development, and, eventually, project management. Throughout the years, I completed many university courses and job-specific training to advance my mechanical design\/engineering career. Even though my work was very technical, an artistic element was involved in designing new products and the associated documentation processes. My love for creating art did not stop at drawing and painting. As a teenager, I started pursuing musical skills. My first love is the guitar, and I ran a small recording studio out of my home for a time while also playing guitar in a few bands. The computer soon became another outlet for creating art. With my computer skills and 3D modeling experience, I began to develop a sophisticated DC-9-41 add-on cockpit package for Microsoft Flight Simulator. The project focused on the Scandinavian Airline Service (SAS) DC-9 airplane OY-KGR. There was extensive programming and many computer-generated renderings and image files assembled in real-time when the game was running, giving the person playing the experience of sitting in a real DC-9 cockpit. A RENEWED LOVE OF ART In 2007 my wife, Jennifer, rekindled my zeal for drawing and painting. Her encouragement and support motivated me to create O'Keefe Arts and take up oil painting as a professional artist. Jennifer also enjoys creating art, and we are working together to promote the business and my paintings because of our shared love of art. I sell original works, accept commission work to create custom landscape paintings, and offer a variety of high-quality pigment prints, i.e., Giclee, reproductions of my artwork. (Websites: www.okeefe-arts.com and www.johnokeefe.net) John and Jennifer O'Keefe outside of the Museum of Natural History in Manhattan, New York, when he was thirty-seven years old Outside the Museum of Natural History (NYC) at 37 Years Old. My paintings have been well received in the art community, allowing my works to be displayed in prestigious exhibitions and art shows. In my home state of Connecticut, the Lyme Art Gallery, Mystic Arts Center, Cate Charles Gallery, and the Mill House Gallery have exhibited my artwork. My paintings have won awards, and I have been a featured artist in a group exhibition at the Lyme Art Association's \\\"17th Annual Associate Artists Exhibit\\\". In April of 2009, I was elected onto the board of directors of the Cheshire Art League in Cheshire, Connecticut, and I created and managed the league's website until the fall of 2011. Organizations that I belong to are Oil Painters of America, Lyme Art Association, The Salmagundi Club of New York City, Mystic Arts Association, Cheshire Art League (until 2011), and Landscape Artists International. In 2012, Jennifer and I created Painting Frames Plus, where people can purchase high-quality reproduction painting frames. 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While I am comfortable working in most mediums, I specialize in landscape oil painting, similar to the famous Hudson River School and Victorian-era artists. ART IN MY EARLY LIFE Like every other artist, I have loved viewing and creating art for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I always drew with pencils, colored pencils, watercolors, and just about every medium I could get my hands on. I received formal art training during my primary school years. When attending elementary school, I received specialized training at the Paier College of Art in New Haven, Connecticut. The first formal recognition of my artistic ability happened in elementary school when I won an award, placing me in the top five of a statewide student art competition. During my middle school years, I was invited to attend college-level art classes one day a week at the University of Bridgeport, Connecticut. Also, during this time, I studied watercolor painting with Connecticut artist Kathy Singer. However, my most beloved art teacher was my Aunt Ann Fucich, who instilled in me a love of art when I was a small child. John O'Keefe posing with a drawing outside of the Museum of Natural History in Manhattan, New York, when he was seven years old Outside the Museum of Natural History (NYC) at 7 Years Old. (My Aunt Ann Fucich took pictures) My love for art led me to seek a career in mechanical drafting. As new technologies emerged, I advanced to more sophisticated 3D CAD modeling systems, new product development, and, eventually, project management. Throughout the years, I completed many university courses and job-specific training to advance my mechanical design\/engineering career. Even though my work was very technical, an artistic element was involved in designing new products and the associated documentation processes. My love for creating art did not stop at drawing and painting. As a teenager, I started pursuing musical skills. My first love is the guitar, and I ran a small recording studio out of my home for a time while also playing guitar in a few bands. The computer soon became another outlet for creating art. With my computer skills and 3D modeling experience, I began to develop a sophisticated DC-9-41 add-on cockpit package for Microsoft Flight Simulator. The project focused on the Scandinavian Airline Service (SAS) DC-9 airplane OY-KGR. There was extensive programming and many computer-generated renderings and image files assembled in real-time when the game was running, giving the person playing the experience of sitting in a real DC-9 cockpit. A RENEWED LOVE OF ART In 2007 my wife, Jennifer, rekindled my zeal for drawing and painting. Her encouragement and support motivated me to create O'Keefe Arts and take up oil painting as a professional artist. Jennifer also enjoys creating art, and we are working together to promote the business and my paintings because of our shared love of art. I sell original works, accept commission work to create custom landscape paintings, and offer a variety of high-quality pigment prints, i.e., Giclee, reproductions of my artwork. (Websites: www.okeefe-arts.com and www.johnokeefe.net) John and Jennifer O'Keefe outside of the Museum of Natural History in Manhattan, New York, when he was thirty-seven years old Outside the Museum of Natural History (NYC) at 37 Years Old. My paintings have been well received in the art community, allowing my works to be displayed in prestigious exhibitions and art shows. In my home state of Connecticut, the Lyme Art Gallery, Mystic Arts Center, Cate Charles Gallery, and the Mill House Gallery have exhibited my artwork. My paintings have won awards, and I have been a featured artist in a group exhibition at the Lyme Art Association's \"17th Annual Associate Artists Exhibit\". In April of 2009, I was elected onto the board of directors of the Cheshire Art League in Cheshire, Connecticut, and I created and managed the league's website until the fall of 2011. Organizations that I belong to are Oil Painters of America, Lyme Art Association, The Salmagundi Club of New York City, Mystic Arts Association, Cheshire Art League (until 2011), and Landscape Artists International. In 2012, Jennifer and I created Painting Frames Plus, where people can purchase high-quality reproduction painting frames. 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