High school students who choose to participate in National Art Honor Society have begun painting a mural in the new English hallway. NAHS is comprised of students who volunteer to commit to this honor society. The students in NAHS used “club time” on Fridays to paint a mural on the walls of the new English hallway.
In past years, the high school English classrooms have almost all been in the bottom floor of Wesley. However, after Young Hall was built, the English classrooms were relocated into what was the STEM classrooms. Each of the STEM classrooms were cut in half to become two English classrooms. After all of the construction, the new hallway was painted a fresh white color. Because the walls were freshly painted, the hall lacked the character and homey feel of the other halls on Wesleyan’s campus. Brooker said, “During the first week of school, some of the NAHS students said to me, ‘We need to put some color in the new hallway.’” The students and teachers all desired something meaningful and exciting in the English hallway.
Many of the painted pictures are symbols or settings from literature, most of the scenes are from books that are read at Wesleyan. Some examples are the tiger from Life of Pi, the eyes of TJ Eckleburg from the Great Gatsby, and the whale from Moby Dick. There is also a collage of books to highlight that the goal of the mural is to highlight important literature.
During the fall semester, the NAHS students and Brooker decided what will be painted on the walls. Brooker said, “It’s all symbolic of themes and characters in literature that the English curriculum covers. There is also some biblical imagery we’re going to be painting as well.”
The students got to have input in deciding what should be in the mural. Senior Nina Scott is the secretary for NAHS and has helped manage the workspace, plan the sketches and the color scheme, and approve the symbols that were chosen. Scott said, “I love seeing everyone work together, it has been really fun.”
NAHS is a service club dedicated to producing art to share with the community. Brooker said, “Art is communal and there is power behind it. Art doesn’t have to be personal or selfish; it can be used for the good of the community.” NAHS students are required to commit to meeting every week during club time on Fridays. The students have done various art projects around Wesleyan’s campus and local areas, all for the betterment of the community. On Dec. 4, the NAHS students and Brooker went to the new Sequel Coffee Co. to paint the windows on their building.
Under the guidance of assistant director of fine arts and NAHS sponsor Meagan Brooker, students have been planning the mural’s design since August. NAHS students began sketching and painting in the beginning of November.
The students in NAHS have gotten the opportunity to learn about art, share their ideas, and display their abilities not only on canvases, but all around Wesleyan’s campus and the surrounding community. NAHS has offered a place for art to develop and for students to give back to their community.
