BHS art students inspired to “think big and bold” with their oil pastel birds

Colorful bird posters are currently on display in the District Office first floor lobby. They are enlargements of oil pastels created at Bellingham High School in an Art One classroom last school year. The originals are 18” x 24” in size.

Birds are often used in literature and art as metaphors for the soul, spirit, freedom, and even hope. Poet Emily Dickinson gave us the memorable poem “Hope is the thing with feathers,” and we cannot find a more apt poem for describing their feathery essence and what they stand for when times are tough. Visitors to the District Office can enjoy these “things with feathers” to be uplifted by their hopeful message.

One of the birds may look particularly familiar as it was chosen as the cover of this school year’s Family Handbook and Calendar. (See "Meet the Artist" section below to learn a little bit about BHS student artist Aaliyah Erickson.)

The teacher behind these creations is BHS art teacher Catherine Gersich who is currently in her 35^th year teaching art. Fifteen of those years have been at Bellingham High and nearly 18 years at Fairhaven Middle School (and a few years at Kulshan) before that. She teaches approximately 180 students every semester in classes such as Art One, Art Two, Studio Art, Watercolor and Painting.

“I still genuinely enjoy teaching and love helping students discover talents they didn’t know they had,” Gersich told us. She also enjoys “nurturing those who already have a passion for art.”

Outside of teaching in BPS, she has also coached middle and high school track, middle school volleyball and football, and most recently high school Girls Flag Football in its inaugural year last winter. While she says that she will not be coaching flag football any longer, she will be “the team’s biggest fan this coming winter!”

Interview with longtime art teacher Catherine Gersich

We asked Ms. Gersich about this colorful art lesson and why she thinks art classes are a perfect way to decompress in today’s ever-changing, fast-moving, technological world.

Have you previously created birds in oil pastels with your class? 

Gersich: I have done oil pastel units with all of my Art One classes at BHS, but until last year, the focus was on landscapes in the style of the Fauvists. I like to switch things up every so often, so last year I decided to have students create colorful birds, focusing on drawing close-up compositions and filling the entire paper space.

What were the initial studies or prompts for this lesson?  What lessons in color, texture, or background were you hoping the students would be exposed to?

Gersich: We studied artists who work with close-up, detailed imagery, such as Italian painter Ester Curini, who creates hyper-realistic animal portraits; Sherry Egger, who draws close-ups in detail; British portrait artist Brian Scott, known for his incredible colored pencil close-ups; and, of course, Georgia O’Keeffe, whose monumental approach to scale inspired students to think big and bold.

The lesson focused on oil pastel techniques and exploring color layering, creating texture, and drawing an interesting composition.

This project helps students break away from their tendency to create small, safe pieces of art. Many students think that large-scale work takes too long, and in today’s fast-paced world, patience and persistence are fading skills. I intentionally designed this lesson to help them slow down, build endurance, and see the reward in creating something with impact. Watching students realize what they’re capable of when they give a project their full attention is very rewarding.

Why should every high school student enroll in an art class?

Gersich: Every student should take art because it’s one of the few places in school where there’s no single “right answer.” Students learn creative problem-solving, patience, observation, and personal expressions which are skills that apply to every area of life. I also think that art teaches students to see the world differently and communicate in ways that words can’t always express. It's also a great class for students to regulate and decompress during the school day, and in a world driven by technology and fast results, art helps them to slow down, think deeply, and reconnect with their own imagination. 

Meet the artist of the bluebird cover

Bellingham High School sophomore Aaliyah Erickson is the student artist of the bluebird on the cover of the 2025-26 Family Handbook and Calendar. She does not have a particular favorite medium to work in, but she does say “watercolor, color pencil, acrylic and clay” are some of her “top picks.”

Aaliyah writes, “I have always been drawn to art. My grandma and I would paint and draw together all the time; she's an artist, too!"

"That bird was my very first time using oil pastels," she continued. "I remember not being too sure about creating the bird. I accidently found the secret to using pastel without realizing it — using white as a base so it goes on the paper smoothly. Also I debated on whether i should use blue or use color theory (orange) for the background. I am taking Studio Art this year and loving the freedom to create what comes to mind."

“I think art is such an amazing way to express yourself," Aaliyah shared, “and here in Ms. Gersich’s classroom she really encourages us all to 'go bigger' and she gives lovely advice!”

Some of Aaliyah's activities at school include softball, gymnastics and choir. She also finds time to take dance classes outside of school.

“I love to dance," she said. "I also love to go on long walks no matter the weather.”

If you need a little uplifting of the soul, be sure to visit the bird art poster exhibition in the District Office.