A rat next to a mousetrap made out of aluminum wire. A bear riding a tricycle. It is part of the student art that will be shown Friday, Jan. 6, at the Fort Smith Regional Art Museum when "Southside Art: Creations from Every Level," opens.

Sculpture students at Southside High School in Fort Smith created wire sculptures using different gauge steel and aluminum wire. The focus was on creating volume using the contours of the form, said art teacher David King.Maggie Reeve made the wire rat and the mousetrap.

“This really challenged me to think about how the rat’s joints bend and move when making the legs,” Reeve said.

Taeyoung Uhm built a wire bear riding a tricycle.

"I was surprised at how abrasive and sharp the ends of the cut wire get when building intricate parts like wheels and spokes,” Uhm said.

Students created oil landscape painting on canvas. Erin Seiter chose her image because “the creek looks eerie and mystical,” she said.

“I’ve been experimenting with how to make my earth tones appear more gray in the fog,” Seiter said.

Students have finished chalk pastel landscapes focusing on blending colors and creating textures.

Students worked on "sustained investigations," King said, with emphasis on a central inquiry, he explained. Some worked digitally, others using traditional media like paint and pencils.

A reception will be 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at RAM, 1601 Rogers Ave. It is free and open to the public.