While trying to rush through the packed hallways during school, students may have glanced up to see artwork displayed on the walls that adds a bit more cheer and color to the school. Some of those pieces are made by the students in art club.
Art club is for all skill levels and anyone who wants to grow their artistic abilities. They meet on Tuesdays in room F160 from 3:45-4:30 for anyone interested in joining.
Senior and Art Club secretary Maya Salter shared insight on the club’s activities.
“What we really do in art club is get together to make community projects for the school but we also get involved with the broader community of State College,” Salter said.
One of the projects that is a community project partnered with refugee children, is the ‘Memory Project’.
“We do this really interesting project called the ‘Memory Project’. You might’ve seen the pictures around the school where it’s a collaboration with refugee children where we paint a picture of them and write them a note and send it away and that’s always really special too,” Salter said.
Any student in the club can sign up to be a part of the project after they pay a small fee. Then they get partnered up with a kid who can be any age from a toddler to a teen. A small letter or card is given to the student letting them know more about the child they are going to be drawing. Information may include something as simple as the child’s favorite color so the student can know what to paint the background, making it more personal for the child.
Junior Stella Colocino is a member of Art Club and participated in the project.
“The Memory Project is super fun. I’m almost done with [my portrait] and it’s really cute because you [are] just like drawing a little kid and you get to write a little note about who you are and where you’re from. I would definitely do it again because it’s not too time consuming and it’s worth it to draw a little picture of someone, to make them happy,” Colocino said.
Colocino shared why she joined the club. “I heard about [Art Club] from the announcements and club fairs which made me interested and just having friends that are also interested in art is nice cause I just go with them.”
The club can be a fun space for artistic students who may not have the time in their schedule to take an art class or who just want a creative space to hang with friends.
“I enjoy Art Club because I love doing art and my friends are in it too. I haven’t finished my Memory Project yet but I’ve had fun doing it because you get to draw a special picture for a little kid,” junior Fiona Hathaway said.
Salter encouraged more students to join the club, describing it as “cheery and community oriented”.
“We really just value creativity and showing up and doing art. If you love art, it’s a great place to be, but you can just come and like paint or even offering ideas is helpful too if you don’t feel confident in your abilities” Salter said.
Art Club takes part in other big projects outside of the Memory Project. One recent project is the Diversity and Activism mural that is currently displayed in the courtyard.
“The Diversity and Activism mural was a big undertaking and I think since the schools were so new we’re trying to bring more into the space, since the walls are quite bare but we’ve been working alongside Mrs. Tobias and collaborating with her to see where our next mural is going to be this year,” Salter said.
“The Diversity and Activism mural outside is still beautiful but falling apart,” Salter said, “So we thought an inside mural would be nice. So we are doing a mural this year that spans all four floors,”
The idea for this year’s mural has yet to be said on record, but it will be a beautiful new contribution to the school, created by the teamwork of the students in the club. The mural is created with a non-permanent, eco-friendly wheat paste base that allows the mural to stay up until it’s ready to be taken down.
“The mural is a wheat paste mural so it’s not actually permanent. We paint on newsprint and then use this thing called wheat paste to attach it on the wall. It’s semi-permanent but as soon as you get it wet it peels off which is kinda the issue outside but inside it should stay for a while and it is a great way of putting up art without it being permanent,” Salter said.
The Diversity and Activism mural as well as the Memory Project are only two of the projects that students get to take part in Art Club. So whether you are a great artist who wants to sharpen your skills and broaden your horizons, or if you just want to try something new and creative, State Highs Art Club is always there.
