Garbage is everywhere.
Cardboard litters the floor, spraypaint clouds the air, and Art Club members dance around piles of art supplies in order to get their float constructed on time. With three days left until the Homecoming Parade, Art Club members rush to finish their float, and hopefully win the Homecoming Float Competition for the second year in a row.
Everything happens at once: Seniors Jordan Schee and Taylor Cox slap white paint onto cut cardboard by the handful to create a hanging moon decoration. Seniors Isabella Brewer and Crystal DeWulf avidly discuss ideas for their Homecoming float which will take on a graffiti theme is year.
Although full of procrastinators, the members of the club successfully work as a team to finish not only the float, but Homecoming dance decorations that they were asked to do last minute.
Led by Crystal DeWulf, the Art Club was reestablished two years ago by DeWulf, graduated student Morgan Carter, and I. Since its rebirth, the Art Club has made substantial progress: building floats, designing decorations, and painting murals for the school district and community. In hopes of creating a new name for themselves, members constantly boost and advertise the club in hopes to gain more members. When asked what makes Art Club so unique, DeWulf replied with confidence, ¨I think it’s more unique in that most of what we accomplish in Art Club is put on display in either the community or the school: murals, dance decorations, face painting, fundraising, our homecoming float, it’s all viewed by the community.”
All grades are represented today, as 14-18 year olds work together on the float and decorations. A group of freshmen girls new to the club this year flutter around the room with other new recruits, painting white clouds that are to become Homecoming dance decorations. This year’s theme is “In Your Wildest Dreams,” based off of the popular song by Taylor Swift. Utilizing cardboard boxes, newspaper, and white paper, Art Club members are able to create three-dimensional clouds perfect for the dance. Other decorations for the dance include painted Zebras, cardboard cutouts, stars, and a giant hanging moon ornament, perfect for a dream-like scene.
But where is the real work being done? In the back, past art room confinements and on the wood shop floor. A large group has crowded around a red canvas, soon to be adorned with the graffiti designs they will use on their float.
Each member has a painting pan full of gray paint in order to to paint lines on the canvas to resemble a brick wall design. With an enormous amount of teamwork and communication, they are able to create a fantastic brick wall design in under a hour. Over the next few days, the Art Club allows the canvas to stay on the art room floor so hordes of students and teachers can step on it and make it look rugged.
Fast forward to the day of the Homecoming parade, and the Art Club has managed to complete its float on time. After adding graffiti designs to their canvas, and hanging it up on their trailer, they are almost done. All that is left for them to do is add a throne, two kings, and a whole lot of school spirit.
Being on the float, I was able to be a part of the atmosphere the Art Club creates every meeting. Full of originality, fun, and happiness, every person on the float, young and old, was cheering on our school. We continued cheering throughout the entire parade, having a great time shooting Silly String and throwing candy.
It didn’t come as a surprise the Art Club won number one in the high school division of the competition. With their attitude, dedication, and hard work, it was more than deserved.
The Art Club here at the high school is more than welcoming to say the least, embracing newcomers into an art-loving atmosphere. DeWulf admits, “Art Club has helped teach me how important art is, we don’t often realize it, but it’s everywhere.”
The club is full of excellent workers, and they are always happy to see new members willing to help with their newest projects. In the coming months, they hope to continue on with fundraisers, and get out into the community more. I’d recommend any student looking for a club they could fit into easily, give this club a try. The Art Club is a great time wrapped up with volunteering hours, teamwork, and laughter. They meet on Wednesdays after school in the art room, and all you need to bring is a good attitude, no art skills needed. The members of the Art Club looking forward to seeing you there, myself included.
