The East Art Team has been adding to the number of murals found throughout East, with murals in Upper Quad C and room 209.
Painting a mural can be an involved process. First, students must apply for permission from the school and wait for approval. Afterwards, teachers in the impacted area are consulted, to try to create a mural around their preferences. Art Team members then spend around a week’s worth of lunches planning out and painting the actual mural itself.
By painting murals, student artists are able to put their skills into practice.
“For someone like me who doesn’t really have time in their schedule [to take an art class], this is really important,” said Robin Gao, one of the co-presidents of the Art Team. “Normally you don’t get to draw on your walls.… This is a different medium, a way to put your art on something other than a canvas.”
It can also improve workplace skills, such as coordinating with others. According to Meta Zhou, another co-president, “It’s really improved my ability to do things with other people as a team process.”
The Art Team originally intended to paint a mural every month, but were recently asked to stop by administration. The mural in room 209 will be their last for the time being. According to Janyelle Johnson, the assistant principal, there will be no more mural painting for the next year, as the school is trying to clean up older ones and monitor what gets put on the walls.
“I think it’s in good faith,” said Gao, “as our school grows in size and more people come in to see it, they want to put their best foot forward.”
