While most art exhibitions focus on mediums like paint and sculpture, Tilton senior Bella Ciriello invites gallery visitors to pick up a controller. For her Advanced Art Portfolio class, Bella produced a large volume of work before curating, marketing, and managing the solo exhibition that brought her vision to life.

Bella physically divided her gallery into two distinct worlds. The first half offers a reflection of her traditional mediums, featuring materials she’s used to like charcoal and graphite. However, as gallery-goers move toward the back of the room, they step into a “fantastical, magical game theme” that pushes the boundaries of her typical style. At the heart of this second half sits Whispering Woods, a hand-coded videogame. Physical artwork covers the walls surrounding the console, mirroring the digital landscapes on the screen.

“One side was more of a reflection on myself and the materials I’m familiar with,” Bella explained. “And the second part was more of a fantastical kind of magical game theme. I explored different mediums that I don’t usually use.”

This exhibition acted as a catalyst for experimentation, driving Bella to embrace watercolor, collage, and digital art. Her most ambitious leap, however, landed her in the realm of coding and game development. After building a foundation of knowledge in Python through her AP Computer Science course, Bella researched software to create her own game. By merging classroom knowledge with independent research, she developed an immersive and interactive experience.

The Advanced Art Portfolio class pushes students out of their comfort zones. It requires them to master the logistics of professional artistry — from the precision of hanging pieces to the marketing of a show.

“I think my favorite part about the whole process was the fact that I didn’t have an excuse not to make art,” she said. “I love making art and I love being able to share it. This gave me the opportunity to do that and to explore the full range of my potential.”

“I hoped people would feel like they weren’t just in the art gallery. I wanted to transport them into this different place that I created,” said Bella. For her, art isn’t just something to look at; it’s an experience.