What are they doing with fire? What is going on outside? Curiosity has piqued as the this year’s senior class, the graduating class of 2015, has begun working on their senior art project this week, bringing some interesting glass blowing to the school.

Every year, the senior class comes together to create a collaborative, traditional gift that represents their class and leaves their legacy behind in an artistic way. Ms. Rose Doherty, the upper school visual arts teacher, has been helping to bring the seniors’ idea to life.

“This project is totally student led,” said Ms. Rose. “All I do is really advise the students and make arrangements for meetings. It is the students driving this project.”

The seniors have been working with Teresa White, an artist from the Memphis community. She is a graduate of the Memphis College of Art and has her own studio specific to blowing glass. While the explicit details about the final piece are usually kept quite, this year’s gift has been actively engaging in glass blowing right outside of the school where everyone can see.

“We do really try to keep it a secret until it is actually installed,” said Ms. Rose. “We are a little bit more visible this year because we had to set up the glass blowing outside because of the fumes.”

Ms. Rose has been particularly proud with the class of 2015.

“It is one of the most fabulous groups of students I have worked with,” said Ms. Rose. “The students have taken on the leadership like no other class, and the cooperation and collaboration [have] been top notch.”